A six-year-old girl, who was in a critical condition over the past week after being allegedly raped and strangulated, died in Odisha on Sunday, the Hindustan Times reported.
She was admitted to the trauma care unit in the paediatric ward and was on ventilator support, the medical superintendent at Cuttack’s Srirama Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital, Shyama Kanungo, said. “She suffered a cardiac arrest and was declared dead,” Kanungo told The Indian Express. “Police inquest and postmortem examinations are being arranged.”
The alleged incident occurred in Jagannathpur village on April 21 when the girl went out to buy biscuits. Her 25-year-old neighbour Mohammad Mustafa, who has been arrested, reportedly took her to a school and assaulted her. The villagers had found her unconscious and naked inside the school campus. She had injuries on her head, face, neck, chest and genitals.
Both the girl’s sister and father have sought the death penalty for Mustafa, the Odisha Sun Times reported. “The culprit has been arrested and he has been forwarded to court,” said Assistant Superintendent of Police for Cuttack (Rural), Krutibash Jena. “Under no circumstances such crimes will be tolerated. Appropriate follow-up action is being taken so that the culprit gets the highest punishment. The culprit will be also tried for murder.”
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