Hostel watchman allegedly rapes hearing and speech impaired minor girl in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district: Police

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A watchman of a government girl's hostel in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district allegedly raped an eight-year-old child with hearing and speech challenges, the police said on Wednesday. The incident took place on Tuesday at the facility for girls with hearing and speech challenges, newswire PTI reported quoting the officials.

City Superintendent of Police Abhishek Tiwari said that the accused, identified as Om Prakash Tiwari, had been working as the watchman of the hostel for the past five years. He was arrested after the alleged crime came to light, said the police official.

A case has been registered against the accused under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for rape, said the official. Further investigation is underway, the official added as reported by PTI.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a youth who had befriended her on social media and his three friends in a car in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior.

Police have invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act since the victim is a Dalit, an official said, adding that nobody has been arrested so far.

The incident occurred on November 21 but a complaint was lodged four days later as the girl kept mum because she was threatened by the accused against disclosing the incident, an official said.

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Additional Superintendent of Police Niranjan Sharma said the girl and her family lodged a complaint.

"The girl became friends with a youth on Facebook last year. On November 21, her male friend took her to a deserted forest area in a car where he and his three friends raped her and also threatened to kill her," he said, as per newswire PTI.

A case was registered under sections 376 (Punishment for rape), and 377 (unnatural act) among others, along with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. According to sources in police, the victim has claimed that one of the accused is a close relative of a politician. (With inputs from agencies)