Police arrested Saroj Bagh, a 25-year-old man also known as Lalo or Sajit, for the attempted sexual assault of a 7-year-old girl in a village near Bamra in Sambalpur district.
The girl, a resident of Rajasthan’s Khatu Shyam area, had come to her maternal home a few days earlier. On the day of the incident, a family argument led to the girl’s mother attempting suicide by consuming poisonous seeds. Family members rushed the mother to Sundargarh Medical College Hospital for treatment. This left the young girl alone at home.
Saroj Bagh, the girl’s relative, seized the opportunity. He lured the child with the promise of a cold drink and took her to a nearby mango orchard. There, he attempted to sexually assault her. The girl’s aunt and grandmother grew worried when she did not return home. They searched the area and reached the orchard just in time. The accused fled upon seeing them.
The girl’s family immediately filed a written complaint at the Gobindapur Police Station. Officers registered a case under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and other provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police swiftly tracked and arrested Saroj Bagh. He had recently returned to the village from Goa.
Medical examination and the child’s statement confirmed the allegations. The court rejected his bail plea and sent him to jail. Local residents expressed strong anger over the incident. They stated that the crime defiled the sanctity of family relationships. Authorities continue to investigate the matter thoroughly.
