Udaipur-  A case emerging from a tribal hamlet in the Phalasia region of Udaipur is a chilling narrative of betrayal, systemic failure, and the acute vulnerability of young girls in marginalized communities. The central figure in this tragedy is a 10-year-old Adivasi girl whose own father, the man duty-bound to protect her, allegedly became her primary predator, in a case that also involves two other juveniles.

What began as a missing person's report has unraveled into a complex investigation of repeated sexual assault, exposing gaps in family structures and community safety nets.

The sequence of events that brought this case to light began on October 24, when the girl's grandmother, her primary caretaker, approached the Phalasia police station to file a missing report. The police acted promptly and located the girl the very next day from a nearby village.

Initial statements at the police station revealed fragmented but alarming details. Recognizing the gravity of the situation and the trauma the child had endured, the police arranged for immediate professional counselling. It was through these careful, therapeutic sessions that the full, horrifying picture emerged.

A Multi-Layered Betrayal: The Three Accused

The investigation points to a series of exploitations by three different individuals:The most devastating revelations concerned the girl's 35-year-old father. The girl disclosed that her father, who works as a daily-wage labourer in Surat, Gujarat, had returned home for the Navratri holidays. During this period, he allegedly sexually assaulted her on two to three separate occasions. This breach of the most fundamental trust has been described by investigating officers as the most "heart-wrenching" aspect of the case.

The man has been married three times. The victim is his daughter from his first marriage. The girl's mother abandoned the family when the child was just one-and-a-half years old. His second marriage produced no children. He contracted his third marriage just seven to eight months ago.

The Digital Grooming:  Sexual Exploitation by Juveniles

The counselling sessions revealed that the exploitation began months earlier. In May, the girl had attended a wedding at her maternal grandmother's place, where she met a teenage boy. After the event, the juvenile maintained contact with her via phone calls. He gradually groomed her, gained her trust, and subsequently lured her into situations where he sexually assaulted her twice. After this, he abruptly cut off all contact.

In a further twist, the first juvenile shared the girl's mobile number with his friend. This second teenager then initiated contact, built a relationship with her over the phone, and also sexually exploited her on multiple occasions. It was with this second juvenile that the girl had recently run away from home, leading to the missing person's report.

The police, led by ASP Hitesh Mehta, have taken swift action based on the girl's statements:

The father has been arrested and presented before a special POCSO court in Udaipur, which has remanded him to judicial custody. The two juveniles have been detained and sent to a juvenile correction home. The minor girl has been moved to a Nari Niketan (women's shelter) where she is receiving ongoing counselling and is in a safe environment.

 Police officials have been clear that given the survivor is only 10 years old, the acts are being treated as rape under the POCSO Act. Any notion of "consent" is legally irrelevant and invalid.

The police have conducted a thorough inspection of the crime scene and have obtained a medical examination of the survivor to build a strong case.

Beyond the Crime: A Stark Look at Social Vulnerabilities

This case is a grim microcosm of the intersecting vulnerabilities that put tribal girls at particularly high risk.

Broken Family Structures: The girl's story is marked by abandonment (by her mother) and ultimate betrayal (by her father). Her upbringing by her grandmother, while loving, highlights the absence of a stable, nuclear family safety net, a situation not uncommon in communities fractured by migration and poverty.

Economic Migration: The father's work as a migrant labourer in a distant city creates a fractured family life. His periodic returns home, instead of being a positive event, became a source of terror for his daughter.

Digital Access and Exploitation: The case indicates how mobile phones, while tools for connection, can become potent weapons in the hands of predators for grooming impressionable minors, even in remote areas.

The Plight of the Adivasi Girl Child: Adivasi girls often sit at the intersection of gender, class, and geographic disadvantage. They may have less access to education, awareness about their bodies and rights, and robust institutional support, making them easy targets for exploitation.

The Mooknayak spoke to Dr Gaytri Tiwari, a family relations expert, who urges society to view this case through a lens that extends beyond the courtroom. She identifies it as a critical warning bell about our collective social responsibility, forcing a necessary examination of the entire ecosystem surrounding a child, the stability of families, the values being instilled, and the vigilance of the community.

Dr. Tiwari points to the survivor's tragic turn to a mobile phone for connection as a stark indicator of a broken support system. She suggests the girl likely felt unable to confide in her grandmother, seeking solace instead with teenagers her own age. This very search for understanding, however, was met with exploitation, as the juveniles preyed upon her profound vulnerability. For Dr. Tiwari, this tragic chain of events indicate that the road to recovery for the survivor will be long, and that true protection demands a deep, societal commitment to safeguarding its most vulnerable members.