On 24 September 2023, a 12-year-old girl was raped by an autodriver named Bharat Soni in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain district. The victim is now in hospital and is stable.
The victim was a 12-year-old girl. On the morning of Sep 25, she walked around partially clothed and bleeding, seeking help for over two hours. A priest (pandit) spotted the girl at 9:30 a.m. and gave her some clothes. He then called the police, who arrived within twenty minutes.[1] The police then took her to a hospital, where she underwent surgery, and is currently being treated.[2] Since she is a minor, her name has not been released to the media.
The alleged rapist is 24-year-old autodriver Bharat Soni.[3] He was arrested on Sep 28 based on CCTV footage. The same day, he tried to escape, but was chased and caught, during which he sustained injuries to his arms and legs.[4] Police also arrested another autodriver Rakesh Malviya for transporting the victim and leaving her on the road instead of taking her to a hospital or reporting the crime.[5] The police also told the media that the people who did not help the girl, during the two hours she wandered semi-naked, may be charged under child sex abuse laws or Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.[6]