Gorakhpur (UP), February 21 An 8-year-old girl is alleged to have been raped during a wedding ceremony in the Pipiganj area here, police said on Saturday.
A 20-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident after footage from the event allegedly showed the girl leaving the venue with the accused, they said.
The child, who had accompanied her grandmother to her maternal home for the festivities, is alleged to have gone missing late on Friday after the 'jaimala' ritual, an official said.
When she did not return home, family members began searching. Reviewing footage from a drone recording of the ceremonies, they spotted the girl walking away with a local youth, he said.
Hours later, she was found at a secluded spot about 200 metres from the venue, seriously injured and covered in blood.
She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors referred her to the district hospital and later to the medical college due to her critical condition, the official said.
The incident was reported around 3:00 am on Saturday. Based on the complaint filed by the girl's grandfather and evidence from CCTV and drone footage, the accused, Ashok Nishad (20), alias Tuntun, was identified and arrested, he added.
Circle Officer (Campierganj) Anurag Singh confirmed the arrest, stating that a case has been registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to rape and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.