Labourer held for sexual assault bid on 4-year-old girl

A labourer has been arrested for allegedly trying to sexually assault a four-year-old girl in the Preet Nagar locality here.

The girl had reportedly just returned from school when she was escorted by her neighbourer Vijay Kumar to his room. Residents said Kumar was spotted by the girl’s mother who raised an alarm, prompting residents to overpower the accused.

The residents and the girl’s mother beat up Kumar. The accused said the girl was thirsty when she reached home from school and he had taken her along just to offer water. Kumar, who has a 10-year-old daughter, said that he had no bad intention. Meanwhile, SHO Division No. 8 Yadwinder Singh reached the spot and arrested Kumar. He has been booked under the POCSO Act.

Soon after the incident, the residents raised slogans, demanding that the migrants be shifted out. “We do not want them in our neighbourhood. They are indulging in heinous crimes and are a threat to our children and society. We all know how a five-year-old boy had been abducted, assaulted and murdered in Hoshiarpur last week. We cannot tolerate more such threatening incidents”, they alleged.

MP Singh, a local activist who runs a coaching centre, has been raising the issue on social media. “The growing migrant population needs to be checked, and action must be taken against those who provide rented accommodation to migrants without getting their ID proofs”, he said.