The primary suspect in the rape case involving a 12-year-old girl in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, has been apprehended by the police. Despite attempting to flee, the police managed to capture him at the scene of the crime during an evidence-gathering visit.
Inspector Ajay Kumar explained, “Today, we reached the spot to recover the clothes worn by the girl. Sensing an opportunity, Bharat Soni tried to escape. Police personnel chased and caught him. During this, he fell on a cemented road, injuring his arms and legs,” to reporters.
The distressing images from Ujjain, depicting the 12-year-old girl partially clothed, bleeding after the assault, and seeking help door-to-door, have sparked nationwide outrage.
An autorickshaw driver was questioned after the police reviewed CCTV footage from the area where the teenager sought help, and bloodstains were discovered in the three-wheeler.
While the survivor has undergone surgery and is in stable condition, she has not yet provided a statement due to her incoherence. Authorities are unable to determine her identity, her family, or her place of origin at this time.
CCTV footage reveals a man shooing away the young girl, who was partially naked after the assault. She eventually found help at an ashram, where a priest provided her with clothing and contacted the police. The authorities arrived twenty minutes later, and she was rushed to the hospital.
Between 2019 and 2021, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra reported the highest number of cases of women and girls disappearing. Additionally, Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of rape cases in the country in 2021, with 6,462 incidents, more than 50 percent of which involved minors. This figure translates to 18 rape cases per day.
