A disturbing incident of sexual assault against a six-year-old girl from a visiting pilgrim family has taken place inside a municipal night shelter in Roorkee, Uttarakhand. The crime occurred on Tuesday night during a brief window when the minor child was left unattended while her parents stepped out to fetch food. Law enforcement authorities have mobilised multiple investigation teams to track down and apprehend the unidentified perpetrator.
Assault Occurred Inside Shelter While Parents Visited Community Kitchen
The affected family had traveled from Uttar Pradesh on a religious pilgrimage and decided to lodge at the Roorkee night shelter for an overnight halt. Late on Tuesday evening, the victim's parents walked over to an adjacent community kitchen to have their dinner, leaving the young child behind in the shelter. Taking advantage of the child being alone, the assailant carried out the assault. When the parents returned after finishing their meal, the distressed child informed them of the traumatic ordeal.
The parents immediately contacted the local police. Senior police officers arrived at the crime scene shortly thereafter to initiate formal inquiry proceedings. To ensure the child's well-being and secure medical evidence, she was immediately escorted to a government hospital for a comprehensive medical examination and necessary care.
Multiple Police Teams Formed Under Circle Officer Devvrat Joshi
Circle Officer Devvrat Joshi stated that an intensive manhunt has been initiated to identify and arrest the offender. Several specialized police teams have been assigned different roles to track the suspect. Investigators are currently conducting a detailed examination of security footage from closed-circuit television cameras installed within the night shelter premises and along adjoining streets.
Simultaneously, suspicious individuals in the vicinity are being questioned, and targeted raids are underway at potential hiding spots. Police officials reiterated that all investigative leads are being pursued to secure a swift arrest.
Parallel Incident Involving Three Year Old Victim in Asansol
This incident follows closely on the heels of another heinous crime against a minor in West Bengal's Asansol area. In the Burnpur locality, which falls under the jurisdiction of Hirapur police station under the Durgapur Police Commissionerate, a three-year-old toddler was sexually assaulted after stepping into an adjacent house to play. When the child returned home complaining of intense abdominal pain, she recounted the incident to her mother, prompting the family to rush her to the hospital and notify the authorities.
Police acted swiftly and arrested the accused, identified as Shankar Mandal. Following his detention, Mandal's family members claimed the allegations were completely baseless and alleged that he was being falsely implicated in the crime.
Allegations of Coercion and Unlawful Property Encroachment
The situation in Asansol grew further volatile when the victim's father alleged that two individuals, identified as Sanjay Vishwakarma and Guddu Rajak, were exerting heavy pressure on the family to withdraw the formal police complaint. Furthermore, the child's mother accused Shankar Mandal of engaging in local intimidation and carrying out illegal encroachment across multiple residential properties in the neighborhood. While keeping the identity of the young victim strictly confidential in accordance with the law, police continue their detailed investigations into the matter.
