Mumbai Crime: Bite mark on rape survivor seals paedophile's fate

The Mumbai police have managed to nail a 45-year-old paedophile who had kidnapped, assaulted and raped a 6-year-old with the use of forensic dentistry -- forensic odontology.

The tragic incident took place three years ago when the then 6-year-old girl had been been out to buy paan for her grandmother in Jogeshwari, according to an article in Times of India.

According to the report, though the the child failed to identify the accused, the medical and odontology reports led to the conviction of the accused, identified as Shrinivas Saryadu, by a special court under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act).

Referring to the odontology report, the court acknowledged the expertise of the doctor in question. The court said that the doctor who had prepared te report was the only forensic odontologist in Maharashtra and one of only two in the country .

Sentencing Saryadu to 20 years in jail, the court said, "It is pertinent to note that the teeth pattern of every individual is unique and never similar to any other individual's." The court also noted that the same method had been used in the Nirbhaya case (2012 Delhi gang rape).

The Tragic Incident
On July 4, 2014, the child's father, a divorcee, had dropped her off to her grandmother's home on his way to work. According to the report, the father had told the court that he returned to his mother's home at 9pm to pick up his daughter, but was informed that his daughter had gone out but not returned. The father then lodged a complaint with the police.

The following morning, the girl was found at Aarey, naked and crying. The child appeared to have been beaten also. The girl, in her deposition before the court, said that "uncle" (Saryadu) had found her near the paan shop, snatched Rs10 from her, and took her to the woods. She said he bit her and assaulted her. She said he pressed her neck and threw her in the water.