Prayers go up in native village for child rape victim

Patna, April 22 (IANS) Villagers in her native village in Bihar have been sending up prayers for the recovery of the five-year-old girl who was brutally raped in the national capital, after she was abducted April 15 and held captive over two days.

As the victim recuperates at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, angry protestors have been gathering in the streets and on the thoroughfares of the national capital.

In her village in Bihar's Sitamarhi district, meanwhile, villagers have been expressing their anguish and their solidarity with the little girl in prayer.

"After the shocking news arrived, villagers started special puja for her recovery," said Upendra Prasad who asked this reporter Monday not to reveal the name of the village, saying only that it be identified as located under Kanhauli police station limits in Sitamarhi, about 200 km from the state capital.

Another villager, Ganesh Singh said special puja was being conducted in the premises of the village temple for the full recovery of the little, brutalised girl.

Officials at the police headquarters in the state capital confirmed that the five-year-old victim hailed from a village in Sitamarhi.

Villagers have demanded speedy trial of the case, and capital punishment for those found guilty.

Sanjay Kumar, a villager, said: "The villagers have decided to demand no less than the death penalty for the guilty."

Sanjay Kumar said villagers would block National Highway NO.77, connecting Hajipur to Sonbarsa on the Bihar-Nepal border, if there was delay in justice for the five-year-old.

Delhi Police, with help from Bihar Police, arrested Manoj Kumar, the prime accused, from a village in Mujaffarpur district Saturday last. The 22-year-old accused was hiding in the home of the parents of his 19-year-old wife.

Pradeep Kumar, another accused, was arrested early Monday from Lakhisarai district.