A 5-year-old girl in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, is in critical condition after being raped by a teenage neighbor on February 22. The child sustained severe injuries, including internal trauma and 28 stitches, raising concerns among doctors about her recovery. The attacker, a 17-year-old allegedly intoxicated during the assault, lured the girl to an abandoned house. Following family protests and public outcry for justice, the accused is in custody, but his age remains disputed, affecting potential legal consequences under India’s Juvenile Justice Act. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has promised strict action against the perpetrator.
New Delhi:
A 5-year-old girl is battling for her life in a Gwalior hospital, Madhya Pradesh, after being raped by a teenage neighbor. The incident, which took place on February 22 in Shivpuri district, has inflicted severe injuries on the child, including extensive internal trauma, bite marks, head wounds, and 28 stitches to her genital area, as reported by medical professionals.
The Night Of Horror
The girl’s family reported her missing on the evening of February 22, and she was found nearly two hours later, unconscious and bleeding on the terrace of an abandoned house close to their home. According to the police, a 17-year-old neighbor, allegedly intoxicated, lured the child before assaulting her. Medical personnel at Gwalior’s Kamalaraja Hospital indicated that the attacker repeatedly slammed her head against walls and the floor, bit her face and body, and inflicted injuries so extreme that her genital area was almost torn apart.
Upon her arrival at Kamalaraja Hospital, surgeons conducted an emergency two-hour surgery to treat life-threatening injuries. The doctors had to resect her large intestine to create an artificial anus and inserted a urinary catheter.
While the child’s condition is stable, she remains in critical care, often drifting in and out of consciousness.
Family’s Anguish, Public Outcry
The family of the young survivor is calling for the harshest punishment for the perpetrator, with her grandfather even advocating for the death penalty. They claim that the accused is an adult, which contradicts the police’s classification of him as a 17-year-old boy.
Protests erupted in Shivpuri on February 24, with local residents and political leaders from both the BJP and Congress gathering outside the district collectorate. Union Minister and local MP Jyotiraditya Scindia condemned the assault on social media, promising to ensure “the strictest action under the law.”
“Upon learning about the heinous act committed against our innocent daughter in Dinara, Shivpuri, I spoke with the family today to provide them encouragement. My daughter is currently hospitalized, and her condition is stable. I am in constant contact with the medical team. Such crimes have no place in our region or state. I took immediate action and communicated with the district administration and Shivpuri Superintendent of Police, directing them to impose strict measures,” Mr. Scindia stated.
शिवपुरी के दिनारा में हमारी मासूम बेटी के साथ हुए अमानवीय कृत्य की जानकारी मिलते ही आज परिजनों से फोन पर बातचीत की एवं उन्हें हौसला दिया। बेटी अभी अस्पताल में भर्ती है और उसकी हालत स्थिर है। मैं लगातार डॉक्टरों की टीम के संपर्क में हूं।
हमारे क्षेत्र और प्रदेश में इस तरह के…
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) February 25, 2025
The accused is currently in custody and will face trial under juvenile laws, although his exact age is still being questioned. According to India’s Juvenile Justice Act, individuals aged 16-18 can be prosecuted as adults for heinous crimes, a provision that the victim’s family insists should apply.