Visakhapatnam: Disha police arrested a 57-year-old man for allegedly raping an eight-year-old daughter of a rag picker living in his neighbourhood. The incident took place at a slum in Kancharapalem under Fifth Town police station in Visakhapatnam on Saturday evening and the accused was identified as Pola Reddy.
Disha Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ch. Vivekananda said the accused took advantage of the girl’s situation at home as her mother kept roaming the entire day picking up waste papers and other garbage and coming home after selling it. Her father is a physically challenged person whose two legs were amputated due to diabetes. He is confined to home.
The girl used to spend playing with children in the neighbouring houses and return home once in three days. The accused was living alone as his wife and children left him due to his vices, said the police.
Recently he started playing with girl children inviting them to his house. The victim, like other girls, spent the last two days in his house, where he allegedly sexually exploited the girl. When her mother went to pick her up on Saturday evening, the girl narrated her ordeal with her.
The hapless mother immediately lodged a complaint with Disha and the accused Reddy was taken into custody.
“As the girl is a Dalit, we have filed cases under various Sections of SC, ST Atrocity Act and Pocso,” the ACP said.
