Aizawl, Oct 5 (PTI) A couple was arrested here over the death of their two-year-old daughter, who was suspected to be sexually assaulted, a police statement said.
The girl, who hailed from a locality in the western part of Aizawl, died in a private hospital here on September 16.
While the father of the child was arrested on October 1, the mother was arrested two days later (October 3) as they appeared to be the prime suspects in the case, the statement said.
The police had registered a suo-moto cases under relevant sections of Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on September 20 following an information received from a medical officer of the private hospital and the subsequent examination of the minor’s body indicated sexual abuse, the statement said.
According to information from the private hospital, even though the child was diagnosed to have died of acute Loryngotracheobrontis (ALTB) with severe respiratory distress, when her body was being prepared to be handed over to her family some unnatural signs were spotted in her private parts, which could indicate sexual assault, the police statement said.
Subsequently, the child’s body was examined by doctors in the government run Aizawl Civil hospital during which old healed wounds were found on her private parts, it said.
However, the examination of the child’s samples at a forensic science laboratory revealed that “semen was not detected from the exhibits,” the statement said.
Suspecting sexual abuse, the police registered a case and launched investigation from September 20 during which many people, including the child’s parents, grand parents, other relatives and local leaders of the girl’s locality were questioned.
“The parents of the child were the prime suspects, as they had always maintained during examination, that the custody of the child always remained with them only. Hence, on the basis of the circumstantial evidences, the father of the child was arrested on October 1 and subsequently the mother was also arrested on October 3 for sustained and thorough custodial interrogation,” the police statement said.
Earlier on September 29, well known social activist Vanramchhuangi had filed a police complaint accusing the child’s parents of prime suspects and demanded their immediate arrest.
A few days later the girl’s family also filed a police complaint denying the allegations.
Aizawl Superintendent of Police (SP) C Lalruaia said that the two complaints were not registered as the suo-moto case was already registered for the same incident and the case is under investigation.
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