Man held for sexual assault of 5-year-old girl in Alipurduar

ALIPURDUAR: A 69-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl in the Kumargram block of Alipurduar district. The accused, identified as Suleman Mia, reportedly lured the child to his house with sugarcane before committing the crime.

According to the victim’s family, the incident occurred on Thursday morning when the accused, a neighbor, invited the child into his house under the pretext of giving her sugarcane. Once inside, he allegedly locked the door and assaulted her.

When the girl did not return home for a long time, her mother, accompanied by a neighbor, went to the accused’s house. She saw her daughter coming out in tears. Upon questioning, the child narrated the ordeal, following which her mother lodged a written complaint with the police that night. The child’s father, a migrant laborer, was away in another state for work.

Acting swiftly, the police launched an investigation and arrested the accused later that night.

“The accused was arrested immediately after receiving the complaint from the child’s family. A case has been registered against him under the POCSO Act,” said District Superintendent of Police Y. Raghuvamshi. On Friday, the accused was produced before the Alipurduar POCSO Court, which remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody. The police have initiated further investigations into the case.