A 13-year-old girl who had stepped out to go to the market in Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj district was later found lying behind a guest house in a critical condition on Sunday, 23 October.
Disturbing videos circulated online showed the blood-soaked minor lying on the ground, crying for help, even as a crowd of onlookers made videos of her.
A sub-inspector, who reached the spot upon being alerted, and carried the girl to hospital. It is feared that she may have been sexually assaulted.
What Happened?
The 13-year-old resident of Gursahaiganj had left her house on Sunday afternoon to buy a gullak (piggy bank).
When the girl did not return home till evening, her family members started searching for her, Superintendent of Police Kunwar Anupam Singh said.
Later, the guard of a guest house, upon seeing a girl lying injured and abandoned behind the premises, had informed the police.
What Do the Videos Show?
CCTV footage from the area showed a youth talking to the girl. The footage, accessed by The Quint, shows the girl walking behind a youth who appears to be older than her, on a busy market street. In the clip, she can be seen wearing the same clothes in which she was found later.
“The identity of youth is being ascertained. Only after the reports, could it be said whether the girl was raped on not,” SP Singh has said.
Another video being circulated online shows a crowd of men surrounding the injured girl lying on the ground, recording her with their phones. No one moves to help the girl as she writhes in pain.
Meanwhile, a case has been filed and an investigation into the matter is underway, the police said.
(With inputs from Prabham Srivastava)
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