Siliguri: 3 cases of crimes against minors reported

Siliguri: Three separate cases against minors have come to light in Siliguri and adjoining areas, leading to arrests and rescue operations by police.

A 27-year-old man was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting an 18-month-old child in an area under Pradhan Nagar Police Station. The accused, identified as Kalu Sharma, a neighbour of the victim, allegedly committed the crime near the child’s residence on Saturday night. The child’s father, alerted by her cries, reported the matter to the police. Following a written complaint, Sharma was arrested and produced before the Siliguri Court on Sunday, where he was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.

In another incident, a human trafficking attempt was foiled at the Indo-Nepal border in Kharibari. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) rescued a minor girl from Assam, who was allegedly being lured to Nepal by Sandesh Rai, a resident of Mechinagar, Nepal.

According to sources, the girl had been working with her brother at a hotel in Bangalore, where she came in contact with the accused.

Exploiting her brother’s absence, Rai allegedly tried to smuggle her across the border. Acting on suspicion, SSB jawans intercepted them at Panitanki and later handed Rai over to Kharibari police. He was produced before the Siliguri Subdivisional Court on Monday. Meanwhile, a missing minor from Meghalaya was recovered from the 15655 Down Vaishnodevi Katra Weekly Express at New Jalpaiguri station on Sunday night.

The operation was carried out by GRP Siliguri after a tip-off from Meghalaya Police.

A youth accompanying the minor has been detained. Both will be handed over to Meghalaya Police for further investigation, stated Passang R. Sherpa, the Inspector in-charge of GRP Siliguri.