New Delhi:
In a major breakthrough to the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl in Jaipur's Shastri Nagar area, the accused, said to be a habitual offender, has been arrested from Kota yesterday. Identified as Sikandar alias Jivanu, 35, the accused had been at large for the last five days and was finally nabbed when he went to meet an acquaintance - a tea-stall owner - in Bhimganj Mandi area of Kota late Saturday evening.
In the dreadful night of July 1, a seven-year-old girl was allegedly abducted by a motorcycle and raped, leading to tension and violent protests in and around the area. Next day, the girl was found near her house and was taken to a local hospital where the doctors referred her to Jammu and Kashmir Lone hospital. Her condition is said to be stable now.
After the incident came to light, a large number of people assembled outside Kanwatia hospital, where the girl was initially taken, following which additional policemen were deployed in the area. A mob also damaged windowpanes of some cars parked in the streets.
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Since then, as many as 12 police teams were spread out to different areas in the state to apprehend the accused. They were under an intense pressure to nab the accused owing to the prevailing situation in the locality.
Addressing a press conference followed by Sikander's arrest, Jaipur Police Commissioner Anand Srivastava said the accused was found guilty of having unnatural sex several times in the past. "He is a habitual offender... We were able to identify him with the help of the network of police informers. The CCTV footage of the area was not of much help," Srivastava told media.
Earlier, Sikander was awarded life imprisonment for having unnatural sex and murdering an 11-year-old boy in the year 2004. After his release in 2015, he again committed several crimes, including molestation of two minor girls in Bhatta Basti area here in 2017. He is also suspected to be involved in the rape of a four-year-old girl in the Shastri Nagar locality on June 22. Other cases registered against Sikandar are - theft of motorcyles, heist at shops, attack on a police officer and escape from the police custody among others.
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Following the July 2 horror, authorities had suspended internet mobile services in 13 police station areas in Jaipur from 2 pm on July 2 to 10 am on July 3. Jaipur divisional commissioner issued orders to mobile internet provider companies to suspend internet in Ramganj, Galta Gate, Manak Chowk, Subhas Chowk, Brahmpuri, Nahargarh, Kotwali, Sanjay Circle, Shastri Nagar, Bhatta Basti, Lal Kothi, Adarsh nagar and Sadar police stations.
