NEW DELHI, July 29: The houses of the two alleged rapists, which were found to be illegal, were demolished by the Maihar municipal council in Satna district in Madhya Pradesh, were demolished on Saturday as the 12-year old victim receiving advance medical treatment at the Rewa hospital.
The accused, Ravindra Kumar and Atul Bhadoliya, both in their 30’s, allegedly raped the girl, bit her, and inserted a hard object severely damaging her private parts on Thursday, police sources had. A senior official, however, said the confirmation about inserting the hard object would be known only after her medical examination report was received.
Following the incident, the chief municipal officer of Maihar Municipal Council on Friday issued notices to the families of the two men seeking documents related to their land and buildings, sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP) Lokesh Dabar said.
A probe revealed that the houses of both the accused were illegal, he said, adding that Bhadoliya’s house was constructed on ‘nazool’ land (government land used for non-agricultural purposes), while Kumar’s house was built without permission. “Both the houses were demolished this morning,” Dabar said.
According to eyewitnesses, when the demolition squad reached Bhadoliya’s house, his family members requested officials to take any step only after the probe is completed. But they went ahead with the demolition.
The duo, who worked for the trust managing a famous temple in Maihar town, allegedly lured the girl and took her to an isolated place, where they raped and brutalised her, the police said. The profusely bleeding girl, who also bore bite marks on her body, was admitted to a hospital at the divisional headquarters Rewa for advanced medical care, they said.
Earlier, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashutosh Gupta said, “I am not denying that a stick or some other object was inserted into the 12-year-old’s private parts by accused Ravindra Kumar Ravi and Atul Bhadoliya. But this is something that can be confirmed only in a medical report.” He said the survivor was undergoing treatment at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa and senior officials had visited the facility to inquire about her health. A team of doctors is monitoring her health and if required, she can also be shifted to Bhopal or Delhi for further treatment, he said on Saturday.
The accused, both aged 30, were produced in a local court on Friday and were remanded to 14-day judicial custody, Gupta said. The duo was booked under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, police said.
After the incident, Maa Sharda Devi Mandir Management Committee, Maihar in a press statement said it had sacked Kumar and Bhadoliya, employed with them, forthwith after a criminal case was registered against them. “Their indecent act has tarnished the image of the temple,” said the statement.
(Manas Dasgupta)