An 11-year-old girl, who was abducted and raped in an industrial area of Bharuch district, Gujarat, succumbed to her injuries on Monday evening at a government hospital in Vadodara. She had been battling for her life for a week. Hospital officials confirmed that the victim had suffered severe internal injuries during the assault. After initial treatment at a civil hospital in Ankleshwar, an industrial town in Bharuch district, she was transferred to SSG Hospital in Vadodara for specialised care.
Dr. Hitendra Chauhan, resident medical officer at SSG Hospital, explained the tragic turn of events: "The girl suffered a cardiac arrest around 2 pm, which deteriorated her condition. Although her condition was stabilised after treatment, she suffered another cardiac arrest around 5:15 pm. Despite immediate medical intervention, she was declared dead at 6:15 pm." He further stated that the girl's condition worsened due to sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to infection or injury, which spread throughout her body, causing organ failure and ultimately leading to cardiac arrest.
According to police reports, the girl was playing near her hut on Monday, December 16th, when she was abducted by a man working in the industrial area. The perpetrator took her to nearby bushes, where he raped her and then left her injured at the scene before fleeing.
Within a day of the incident, police arrested the 36-year-old accused, who hails from Jharkhand. A three-member delegation, led by Jharkhand Minister and Congress leader Deepika Pandey Singh, visited the victim and her family at the Vadodara hospital last week. The delegation also criticized the Gujarat government's handling of migrant workers and presented the victim's family with a check of Rs 4 lakh.
Gujarat's Health Minister and government spokesperson, Hrishikesh Patel, responded by accusing the Congress party of politicising a serious crime like rape.
This tragic incident highlights the vulnerability of children and the urgent need for stronger measures to prevent such heinous crimes and ensure the safety of all citizens, particularly in vulnerable communities.
