A deeply disturbing crime has emerged from Kolkata, where a seven-month-old baby girl was allegedly raped. The incident occurred on November 30 in the Burtolla area, shocking the local community and prompting a swift police response.
The ordeal began when a passerby discovered the infant crying alone on a footpath near a public toilet. The individual alerted the police, who arrived at the scene around 1:45 AM. Upon investigation, officers found the baby and were informed by two homeless individuals that their daughter was missing. They quickly identified the child as their own and took her to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for urgent medical attention.
Doctors at the hospital were horrified to find multiple injuries on the infant, particularly around her private parts, along with several scratch marks on her body, suggesting sexual molestation. A police officer recounted, “There were several scratch marks on her body as well, indicating sexual molestation”. The child was initially treated in the gynecological ward before being moved to the pediatric Intensive Care Unit, where she is now reported to be stable and recovering.
The police have launched an investigation into the case, registering it under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. An officer indicated that initial findings suggested the baby had been taken from the footpath, assaulted, and then abandoned. They are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the area and interviewing local residents to gather more information about potential suspects.
In a significant development, police arrested a suspect identified as Rajeev Ghosh in Jhargram district. This arrest follows an analysis of CCTV footage that led investigators to him as a person of interest in this heinous act. Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine if other individuals were involved in this crime.
Local officials and community members are grappling with the implications of this tragedy. The Deputy Commissioner of Police for North Kolkata stated, “We registered a case and an investigation is underway”. As the investigation unfolds, many are left questioning how such a horrific event could occur in their community.