Madhya Pradesh rape case: Five-year-old victim serious, being shifted to Nagpur

Seoni: A five-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped by a 35-year-old man in Ghansour town, is being shifted to Nagpur in neighbouring Maharashtra in an air ambulance as her condition remains serious.

"After taking the consent of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, we are shifting the victim from Jabalpur to Nagpur tonight by air ambulance as she continues to be in serious condition," Minister of State for School Education and in-charge of Seoni district, Nanabhai Mahod said. Chouhan has sanctioned Rs two lakh from the Chief Minister`s Relief Fund for providing proper treatment to the victim and directed the officials concerned to ensure proper care of the victim. The minor girl was allegedly raped by Firoz Khan, who works in a private power plant, on April 17 after luring her with chocolate, police said. He then dumped her at a farm. The girl`s parents found her unconscious the next morning, following which she was rushed to the Government Medical College, Jabalpur, they said. "Her condition is serious...She is yet to regain consciousness," a police official said. Enraged over the incident, people in Ghansour town observed a bandh today and submitted a memorandum to the sub divisional magistrate demanding immediate arrest and strict action against the accused who is absconding. Ghansour Police Station in-charge RD Barti said a case under Sec 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman) and 376 (punishment for rape) of the IPC was registered against Khan and police teams have been sent to Delhi and Bihar to trace him. Public Relation Officer of Seoni district, Ghanshyam Sirsam said the private power plant company is bearing the entire expenses of the girl`s treatment and its management also announced to provide a suitable job to the victim`s father. PTI