Prayagraj couple arrested for torturing, sexually abusing minor girl

A case was lodged against Arun Sinha, a teacher by profession, and his wife Anjana based on the complaint made by Newa police outpost in-charge Preet Pandey.

PRAYAGRAJ A city-based couple was booked by local police on Sunday for allegedly torturing and sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl, who was admitted to the Cantonment Board Hospital on Friday with brutality injuries.

A case was lodged against Arun Sinha, a teacher by profession, and his wife Anjana based on the complaint made by Newa police outpost in-charge Preet Pandey for digital rape, assault, and other relevant sections of the IPC and the Pocso Act, said officials.

According to police, primary investigations have revealed that the accused couple, originally from Patna, were living in an apartment in Preetam Nagar locality of Prayagraj. The couple was childless as Anjana faced three miscarriages. Last year, the couple adopted a 10-year-old girl from an orphanage in Lucknow. However, they soon started torturing her.

The girl was admitted to the hospital with a fracture in her arm. During the girl’s examination, doctors not only found torture marks on her body but also pieces of wood from her private parts. The accused duo was sent to jail on Sunday, confirmed SHO Dhumanganj Rajesh Kumar Maurya.

Police interrogation has revealed that the accused couple treated the girl as domestic help. They used to force her to do household chores. In more gut-wrenching revelations, the accused husband and wife confessed that they would burn her with hot iron if household goods were misplaced and throw hot tea on her if they didn’t like the taste.

The couple never allowed the girl to play with other children of the apartment and used to beat her if she tried to narrate her ordeal to visitors or neighbours. The accused woman took the girl to the hospital only when her condition became critical.

Meanwhile, the girl has told the Cantonment Hospital staff that she was lodged at an orphanage in Kanpur after her father abandoned her and her mother passed away. Later, Arun Sinha and his wife Anjana started coming to meet her at the orphanage while posing as her maternal uncle and aunt. The duo continued visiting the girl when she was shifted to another orphanage in Lucknow.

Last year, they adopted the girl and took her to their house. It was then that the couple started torturing her over jejune things. Some days back, the girl was thrashed by the accused woman for using a lipstick. The assault was so brutal that it fractured the girl’s hand.

Minor survivor operated, administered blood

The 11-year-old assault survivor was administered blood on Sunday in view of her condition. She was operated in her left elbow, shoulders, and nose bone due to fractures. Dr Siddarth Pandey, director at Cantonment Hospital, said the girl was recovering well but serious injuries have temporarily hampered her abilities to move around. In a positive sign though, the girl is out of danger and her level of blood pressure, pulse rate and oxygen are now normal, added the doctor.