Hyderabad: Stalker stabs minor multiple times in broad daylight

Mangalore Today News Network

Hyderabad, Feb 07, 2019 : A 17-year-old girl was brutally attacked and stabbed by her alleged stalker near her home in Hyderabad on Wednesday morning. The girl had been walking to college when 19-year-old Bharat stabbed her multiple times with a large knife and dragged her into a small lane, where he continued to assault her. Police say that the he had been stalking her for months.

 

"“We are currently in search of the accused who has been absconding since the incident took place. An FIR has been filed, he’s been charged with attempt to murder, a case will be filed under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012) as well.”" - P Govinda Reddy, Additional DCP Central Zone, to The News Minute

The girl’s sister told the media that normally her uncle drops her at college, but on Wednesday, she had gone alone. After Bharat stabbed the girl, she called out for her mother, but the mother did not realise that she was in danger and did not rush to her. The mother told reporters that she could hear her daughter screaming after she had been pulled into the lane.

According to the victim’s uncle, Bharat and the girl were not in a relationship as some reports had suggested, but Bharat had been harassing her. The uncle even tried to talk to Bharat, who said he would not harm the girl. The family also complained to police about Bharat’s harassment, but no action was taken, they claimed.

The girl has been admitted to Yashoda Hospital in Malakpet after sustaining several injuries from the attack.

"“She is being attended to by medical personnel at the moment. He stabbed her and she’s sustained grievous injuries. Her condition is quite serious as of now. The doctors attending to her are planning to take her up for surgery, but until she is stabilised this will not be possible.”" - A hospital representative to The News Minute.

Yashoda Hospital PRO Sampath told TNM that the girl had been attacked 15 to 17 times on her neck, head and hands. They were waiting for her blood pressure to stabilise before prepping her for surgery.

This incident comes days after another horrific story about a young girl who was set on fire by her stalker. The 12-year-old girl is a resident of Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district and was taken to the hospital following the tragedy where she continues to fight for her life.

The Quint has been running a campaign to make stalking a non-bailable offence since August 2017. The fact that stalking is still a bailable offence in our country allows stalkers to get bail without serious scrutiny. This often puts the survivors at risk of facing acid attacks, rape, and even murder. And that is exactly what happened in this stalking case as well. The accused was out on bail when he went on this killing spree.

Stalking as a separate offence did not exist in the IPC till 2013. This necessarily affects any analysis of the statistics relating to stalking, as the National Crime Records Bureau (“NCRB”) only has statistical data for the years 2014-2016. Despite this, the data available paints an interesting picture of the nature of the crime and the way it is being dealt with in the country.