TNN

Panchkula, May 2: Just days after Supreme Court expressed concern over increasing cases of sexual assault involving little girls, Panchkula police booked four minor boys on charges of allegedly raping a seven-year-old over a period of two months, on Friday.

Though this is the second such gruesome incident during recent past in which a minor has been allegedly violated by a juvenile, the apparent contradictions in victim’s medical report threaten to hamper the probe.

Investigating officer Aman Kumar said the matter came to light after the victim’s mother found her health deteriorating, following which the family approached police on Friday. Acting on the complaint of girl’s father, a case under Section 376 (rape) was registered at Sector-14 police station against four minors between the age group of 9-15 years. The victim and the accused reside in Rajiv Colony.

Though cops said the accused had been identified, no arrests were made till late evening. Police officials said besides contradictions in the medical report, no injury marks were found on the girl’s body there was a dispute regarding the boys’ age. While police claim all four are minors, the girl’s family has alleged two of them are adults.

Cops said the girl complained of uneasiness on Friday, and upon being prodded by her mother, she narrated the sordid exploitation that had allegedly been on for two months.

The girl’s parents are labourers and she is a student of Class II. The medical examination was conducted at General Hospital,

Sector 6.

Meanwhile, Panchkula SP Amitabh Dhillon said there were some conflicting points in the minor’s medical report as no injury marks were found on her body. ‘’We’re examining it further and also verifying facts,’’ he added.

Danger zones

With parents who’re labourers and boys in the neighbourhood who’re addicted to drugs, girls in many colonies of the city are soft targets for sexual offenders. On April 2, a barely two-year-old toddler from Azad Colony was allegedly raped by a 15-year-old from the same area

Age-old escape?

Though minor criminals are booked under same the IPC sections as adults, their trial is conducted by juvenile justice board. Criminal lawyer NK Nanda said these boards generally tackle the offenders leniently. In a 2006 case, three accused along with a juvenile were booked for allegedly murdering and raping a 70-year-old in Sector 15. In May 2008, a juvenile justice board asked the minor to do community services, twice a day, for two months at a local gurdwara.