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Bengaluru Police Neglect To Record A 5-Year-Old Burn Victim's Statement Before Her Death

The victim could have been sexually abused before being set ablaze.
St Lowitsch / EyeEm via Getty Images

In a clear instance of apathy, the Bengaluru Police neglected to record the statement of a five-year-old girl who had allegedly been set ablaze by a neighbour after being molested by him. After battling for life for six days, the girl succumbed to her burn injuries.

Faced with the police's indifference, the victim's parents reportedly made an audio clip in which she accused her neighbour of the crime.

According to a report in the Bangalore Mirror, the girl's parents suspect a 50-something neighbour of luring her into his house on the pretext of asking her to buy beedis for him, then molesting her and setting her on fire.

The girl, who was brought to the Victoria Hospital by the accused on 10 February, succumbed to her injuries on 16 February. According to the Mirror, the police did not record her statement during those six days, forcing her parents to record an audio clip of their daughter accusing the neighbour. The parents then approached the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR).

A report in the Times of India says that the KSCPCR is now waiting for the medical report to ascertain if sexual abuse was involved.

As of now, the accused, identified as one Suresh who works as a security guard in a school, has been arrested under 'attempt to murder' charges.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.