Mangaluru: Man arrested for sexually assaulting toddler, throwing her into fish tank

A 30-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a two-year-old child and throwing her into a saltwater fish tank at Hoige Bazaar area in Karnataka’s Mangaluru on Sunday evening. The accused has been identified as Chandan, a native of Bihar, who works as a labourer in the city.

Mangaluru city police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar said, “The child belongs to a couple who migrated to the city from Bihar for work. When the parents returned home after work on Sunday evening, the baby was missing. Later, the child was found in a fish tank around 9 pm on Sunday, and was rushed to a local hospital where treatment is being given.”

A police officer said Chandan lured the child by offering her chocolate before committing the crime. Local residents assaulted the accused before handing him over to the police. He confessed to the crime during interrogation.

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The police said nearly 70 to 80 families of migrant labourers from Bihar live in the area and work for a company that carries out fish cutting and salting.

A case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and a probe is underway.