BENGALURU: In a searing indictment of the plight of children from the poorer strata of society who come from broken homes and are preyed on by men with little conscience, a five-year-old girl, was brutally raped by a 33-year-old daily wage worker a few days ago in Balaji Nagar in Thalaghattapura, and died during treatment at St. John’s Hospital in the early hours of Saturday.
The child victim was allegedly tortured, beaten up and not given proper food by her primary care-giver, a 45-year-old woman, Chandana, a domestic servant, and friend of the victim's mother, a sex worker. Chandana was taking care of the five year old over the last two months after the child's 21-year-old mother had abandoned her.
The accused, Mallikarjun, a friend of Chandana, visited her regularly and often touched the victim inappropriately. Some days ago when Chandana was out at work, Mallikarjun entered her house, raped the girl and fled the spot.
The girl complained of stomach ache and was taken to various private clinics by the victim's mother and Chandana. The two women told the doctors that the child was feeling sick because of low haemoglobin count. On August 16, doctors at Vijayashree Hospital briefed her mother about the sexual assault and she filed a POCSO complaint at the Talaghattapura police station on August 17. Both Mallikarjun and Chandana were arrested the next day and are in judicial custody.
The child was shifted to St. John's Hospital on August 17. She first responded to treatment, but on Friday night her condition worsened and she died on Saturday.
DCP (South) Dr S.D. Sharanappa said that the exact day of the incident was not known as the victim could not recall it when her statement was video-recorded. She named Mallikarjun and confirmed that he was touching her inappropriately. The DCP denied media reports that the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital denied treatment to the victim.
A police source said that the victim and her mother moved from Kodagu to Bengaluru three months ago after the victim's father died. The mother is working as a domestic help at a number of homes.
