CHENNAI: In a shocking spate of crimes, a three-year-old girl was raped and murdered, while seven other minor girls and four women were sexually assaulted in and around Chennai within 24 hours starting Sunday. Police reported that the three-year-old, daughter of guest workers from Bihar, was raped by 19-year-old Bibin Manjhi, also from Bihar and a frequent visitor to their home in Gummidipoondi, Tiruvallur district.
According to police, the child was playing near her home around 5pm on Sunday when Manjhi, who was intoxicated, approached her and offered to buy her snacks. He took her to an isolated spot, raped her, and left her in the bushes. When the child did not return, her parents and neighbors launched a search and found her with injuries hours later. A local resident reported seeing the child with Manjhi, and villagers apprehended and assaulted him as he tried to flee. Police later arrested him.
An official at a government hospital where the girl was taken stated she was in shock and experiencing respiratory distress. She succumbed to her injuries around 7am on Monday.
Eleven Other Cases Reported
Eleven additional cases of sexual harassment were reported across Chennai and its outskirts, including Avadi, Tambaram, and Tiruvallur, in the past 24 hours. Seven of these involved minors. In Manimangalam, a guest worker from West Bengal sexually abused a 10-year-old girl on Sunday night. In Kattupakkam, a six-year-old girl was sexually abused by her 40-year-old neighbor on Sunday evening. In Tiruvallur, an autorickshaw driver sexually assaulted a Class VII student.
In Mylapore, police arrested a 26-year-old man for making indecent gestures to a 12-year-old girl who was home alone. In Perambur, a 23-year-old man was arrested for harassing a 17-year-old schoolgirl. In Ambattur, two men sexually assaulted two minor girls.
Assaults on Women
Four women were also sexually harassed in separate incidents. In Mangadu, a security guard took a 23-year-old woman with mental disabilities to a secluded spot and raped her. In Porur, a 29-year-old man on a motorcycle sexually abused a woman walking on the road on Sunday night. In Koyambedu, a 26-year-old security guard sexually assaulted a 23-year-old woman at her residence early on Monday. At a mall on Anna Salai, a 41-year-old man sexually harassed a 38-year-old woman inside an elevator on Sunday. Police apprehended the suspects in all cases.
Public Outcry and Demands for Safety
Neighbors of the three-year-old held a road blockade on Monday, demanding better safety for children. Tiruvallur police held talks with the protesters and assured them that a detailed investigation is underway. Residents also expressed concerns about the safety of children living in worker settlements, noting that many parents leave for work early in the morning and return only in the evening. They urged police to strengthen security measures in the area.
