A horrifying incident of criminal assault against an eight-year-old minor girl has triggered serious concern across Gujarat's industrial belt in Surat. Because her family residence lacked private toilet facilities, the young child had walked toward an open plot near her shanty on the morning of October 21. Taking advantage of the isolated location, a 35-year-old local resident ambushed the minor, dragged her forcefully into thick bushes nearby, and committed the sexual assault. Prompt intervention by local law enforcement officers led to the rapid tracking and arrest of the suspect, followed by on-site investigative proceedings.
Child Slapped for Resisting and Threatened with Death
According to investigative details, the victim resided with her family in a slum cluster located within the Sachin GIDC sector. As she was returning home from the open area, the accused, identified as Sarvesh Ramlakhan Nishad, abruptly seized her hand to pull her toward a deserted patch covered with wild vegetation. When the eight-year-old tried to struggle and free herself, the assailant struck her across the face with multiple slaps before violating her. Following the assault, the perpetrator explicitly warned the traumatized minor that he would murder her if she revealed anything about the ordeal to her mother.
Terrified Child Confides in Mother, Sparking Emergency Police Response
Overcome with shock and fear, the child wept continuously while covering the distance of approximately 100 meters between the bushes and her shanty. Upon reaching safety, she narrated the horrific encounter to her mother. Recognizing the gravity of the assault, the mother immediately placed a distress call to the police emergency hotline 112. A police squad from the Sachin GIDC jurisdiction rushed directly to the location, provided initial care and security to the distressed family, and immediately mobilized search teams across the neighborhood.
Surveillance Cameras and Local Informants Lead to Chawl Hideout
To prevent the suspect from fleeing the industrial hub, investigating officers set up vehicular barricades across exit routes and collected surveillance recordings from multiple CCTV systems operating in nearby alleys. Simultaneously, investigators tapped their human intelligence channels among community residents. Utilizing technical tracking alongside precise intelligence gathered from confidential informants, the police zeroed in on a residential settlement. They conducted a targeted raid at Zakir ki Chawl, located near an ice factory in Tirumala Society, where they apprehended 35-year-old Sarvesh Ramlakhan Nishad.
Further inquiry revealed that the detainee originally hailed from Khanpur village, situated in the Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh. During preliminary questioning, he informed investigators that his wife had departed to live with another partner, leaving him to reside alone in Surat for a considerable duration.
Accused Taken to Crime Spot in Restraints as Investigators Map Sequence
Advancing their evidentiary gathering, the police escorted the restrained suspect back to the precise spot of the crime to perform an official scene reconstruction. Secured with ropes, the accused was made to walk through the surrounding locality in front of gathered onlookers, visibly limping as officers guided him forward. In the presence of independent witnesses, officers systematically retraced each step of the offense: establishing the exact spot where the minor was ambushed, the specific path used to force her into the thickets, the commission of the act, and the escape trajectory he took afterwards.
The incident follows an earlier reported case in Gujarat's Kutch region, where a school principal was placed under arrest after being accused of raping an underage student. Investigators in Sachin GIDC are now assembling technical documentation and forensic proof to build an ironclad prosecution file against the accused.
