Man grabs girl praying alone in temple, forces himself on her; leaves her in tears

A 10-year-old girl had just bowed before Lord Shiva after offering prayers at a temple in Pune's Nigdi when a man grabbed her by the arms and tried to force himself on her. CCTV footage of the disturbing incident shows the girl struggling as the man attempts to hug her forcibly. After he leaves, the frightened child breaks down in tears before folding her hands in prayer once again.Taking note of the incident, Nigdi police acted swiftly and arrested the accused, identified as Vishal Singh.According to the information available, the girl had visited the temple alone to offer prayers. Around the same time, Singh arrived to collect water from a tank outside the temple. On noticing that the girl was alone inside, he entered the temple and allegedly approached her before attempting to force himself on her.The girl began screaming, prompting the accused to flee the spot. After the incident, the girl narrated what had happened to her family. Her family subsequently lodged a complaint at the Nigdi police station.Upon receiving the complaint, the police took the matter seriously and acted swiftly to arrest the accused, Vishal Singh. Preliminary information suggests that the accused, Vishal Singh, worked as a labourer for a metro contractor. He is reportedly a native of Uttar Pradesh.The incident has triggered anger in the area. Residents are upset over the alleged assault on a young girl who had visited a temple to offer prayers.Further investigation is currently underway by the Nigdi police. The case is being investigated under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Mahesh Bansode.The incident has once again raised serious questions about the safety of children. Further details are expected to emerge as the police investigation progresses.- EndsInputs from Shrikrushna Jagannath Panchal