Uttarakhand: After watching porn, 5 minor boys gangrape an 8-year-old
In a disturbing case, five boys aged 9-14, students of Classes 6-9, allegedly gangraped an eight-year-old girl in Sahaspur, Uttarakhand, after watching porn. The minors presumably planned the crime consciously: they lured the child with chocolate, and while four raped her inside one of their house, one stood guard outside. All five were arrested Sunday, three days after the heinous crime.
The crime was consciously and meticulously planned by the minors
On July 12, two days after watching porn on the phone of one of the accused's elder brother, the boys hatched a plan of rape. Details were decided: they would target their neighbor, a Class 5 student, in the evening, when her parents would be out. She was playing outside her house when they approached her and offered her chocolates if she accompanied them.
They stopped assaulting her only when they saw someone coming
They then took her to one of their house when the 10-year-old accused's family members were out. One of them stood guard near the main door while the others assaulted her. "While they were committing the crime, they saw the elder brother of the accused coming towards the house," said Inspector NS Rathore, so they dispersed and sent her home.
The family lodged a complaint two days later
That day, the traumatized girl didn't speak or eat after returning home. When her mother insisted, she broke down and confessed what had happened. But the family lodged a complaint only on Sunday. All five were arrested the same day, and the phone on which they had watched porn seized. Yesterday, they were sent to a correction home.
A psychologist shares her views on such crimes
Smitha Deshpande, psychiatry department head, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Delhi, admitted banning pornography is impractical, but children's access should be restricted. "Talking about respecting each other's body space can help in making children aware of how their action can hurt others." But when there's planning and follow-through, it means the act has been done consciously, and knowing it isn't acceptable, she added.
