71-year-old man ‘rapes’ 7-year-old girl after luring her into shop in Andhra Pradesh

RAJAHMUNDRY: A 71-year-old man allegedly raped a seven-year-old girl at his grocery store after luring her with chocolates and biscuits, on Tuesday afternoon at Achanta town in West Godavari district. According to the Achanta police, accused Velagan Venkata Swamy, a widower who runs a mom-and-pop store in the neighbourhood, resorted to the heinous act when the girl went to his shop to buy chocolates. As there was no one around, he allegedly lured her into his shop on the pretext of giving her more chocolates and biscuits. She followed him into the shop. Accused Swamy, who lives in the neighbourhood with his son’s family, sexually assaulted the girl, ignoring her cries, police said. After returning home, the girl, writhing in pain, told her mother about the incident.The mother lodged a complaint with the Achanta police the same night, and police sent the girl to the Palakollu govt hospital for a medical examination on Wednesday morning.Police have registered a case and formed teams to nab the accused who is currently at large. Achanta police sub-inspector Venkata Ramana said the girl’s parents hail from a lower economic strata and run a small fruit shop in the neighbourhood.(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)