A 14-year-old girl was attacked with acid and knife allegedly by her relative after she resisted his attempt to sexually assault her, at Venkatachalam on the city outskirts.
Nellore Rural Deputy Superintendent of police Y. Harinatha Reddy told the media here on Tuesday that the girl, studying in Class 9, was alone at her home on Monday when the assailant, in an “inebriated condition,” stormed into the house and attacked her.
“He attacked the girl with acid and slit her throat with a knife when she offered resistance to his sexual overtures,” Mr. Harinatha Reddy said. “The case is being thoroughly investigated from all angles,” he said.
The accused, who was reportedly in a depressed state of mind after parting ways with his wife recently, fled with some cash and earrings of the victim, the Venkatachalam police said.
The neighbours, who rushed to her rescue, informed her parents, who were away working in a farm, and admitted the girl to the Government General Hospital.
She was later shifted to a private hospital here and to a multi-special hospital in Chennai for plastic surgery. The girl had reportedly regained consciousness, the police said.
Following a complaint from the girl’s parents, the Vekatachalam police registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 326a (rape), 354 (outraging modesty), 448 (house trespass) and 511 (jewellery theft), and the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Minister’s promise
Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy, who drew the attention of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, gave a cheque for ₹5 lakh to the parents of the girl on a direction from the Chief Minister.
Accompanied by District Collector K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu and Superintendent of Police Ch. Vijaya Rao, the Minister pacified the girl’s parents by promising to bear the expenses for her medical treatment.
