The Leh police arrested a 52-year-old man identified as Sayed Zulfikar Ali Shah on April 1. Sayed raped a 12-year-old girl on March 29. Sayed is also known as Zulzul of Thiskey. The police also seized the car used in the crime.
Sayed has been booked under sections of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offense) Act.
A case (FIR number 02/2023) under section 5(m)/6 of the POCSO Act, 363 (kidnapping) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC was registered at women’s police station in Leh on March 29.
The additional director general of police, SS Khandare said, “On March 29, at 20.30 hrs (8.30 pm) women cell police station in Leh received a call from SNM hospital, Leh, stating that a girl aged 12 years was brought by her uncle with bruises and injuries on her head, face and hands and she was also found sexually assaulted”.
“The girl stated that she was studying in a school in Leh and used to hitch hike or take bus alone from her village to Leh and vice versa on a daily basis, “ said the ADGP.
News agency ANI quoted PD Nitya, Superintendent of Police Leh-Ladakh saying, “On 29th March, a 12-year-old girl was raped by a man. The accused offered her lift to school and took her to an isolated place and raped her. She also suffered head injury and he left her thinking that she was dead. Within 48 hours, we arrested the accused, 52-year-old Sayyad Zulfikar Ali Shah. Girl’s condition stable now”.
Ladakh | On 29th March, a 12-year-old girl was raped by a man. The accused offered her lift to school and took her to an isolated place and raped her. She also suffered head injury and he left her thinking that she was dead. Within 48 hours, we arrested the accused, 52-year-old… pic.twitter.com/eyHHj0rFRa
— ANI (@ANI) April 1, 2023
On March 29, after the school, at around 4.30 pm, she took a lift in a Santro car driven by an unknown person near Jivetsal, Photang.
“The unknown person took her to an isolated place in Chuchot instead of her village where she was sexually assaulted, beaten with stones and was pushed into a rocky pit. He left her in the pit covered her with soil and stones. Though the child was hurt and bleeding, she later mustered the courage and walked towards the main road Chuchot which is around 5 km from the place of crime and immediately contacted her home for help,” said the ADGP.
Soon after the complaint, police teams were constituted to nab the culprit.
“After strenuous efforts by the police team, with the help of CCTV footages and human intelligence, they were able to arrest the accused within 48 hours of the incident,” said Khandare.
“The accused on previous occasions also used to give lift to the girl and he knew her vulnerability as she travelled alone,” he said.
Meanwhile, ADGP Ladakh Police SS. Khandare has announced a special cash reward for officers involved in the swift apprehension of the accused in the blind rape case of the minor girl.
