‘Papa… uncle who came home took me to the jungle’:Six-year-old rape survivor collapses after revealing ordeal; Parents narrate horror

A six-year-old girl, brutally assaulted in Goharganj on the night of 21 November, was found staggering towards her house, drenched in blood. The moment she saw her father, she ran to him, hugged him tightly and whispered fearfully: Papa… the uncle who came home earlier… he took me to the jungle.” Before she could finish, her voice broke, and she collapsed unconscious in his arms. The child is currently battling life-threatening injuries at AIIMS Bhopal, where doctors say she still requires three major surgeries. Critical condition but conscious; doctors say delay worsened injuries According to doctors, the survivor was brought to AIIMS nearly three hours late, leading to excessive blood loss.
They believe that reaching the hospital on time could have prevented the need for multiple complex surgeries. She is conscious now and able to speak a few broken words to her family, but must remain in the hospital for several more days as her recovery is far from over. Accused Salman Khan still absconding; public demands encounter The accused, 23-year-old Salman Khan, is still on the run. For the last five days, crowds have been gathering outside the Goharganj police station, demanding that police carry out an encounter and punish him publicly for the brutality inflicted on the child. Father recalls: “He spoke to me just before the incident” The survivor’s father told Bhaskar that around 5:30 pm that day, the accused came near their house.
He often visited the colony, talked to residents, and offered chocolates to children. “He asked me how I was. I said I was fine, and he left. I had no idea that this man, who pretended to be friendly, was hiding such a monstrous face,” the father said. An hour later, around 6:30 pm, the child stepped out, telling her mother she would give tomatoes to a neighbour before going to play.
By 7:30 pm, when she still had not returned, the parents began searching for her. “I will never forget the sight”: Father The father said that around 8 pm, while searching outside, he saw a sight that shook him to the core. “She was coming from the road in front of our house, wearing only a kurti. She was soaked in blood. She shouted ‘Papa’ and clung to me as if I was her last hope for life,” he said. What she whispered next was unbearable for any parent: The uncle who came in the evening… he took me towards the jungle… and covered my mouth. Accused built trust as the ‘toffee uncle’ The family said Salman earlier worked at a crusher plant but was fired due to misconduct.
He had been roaming in the area for the past few months, deliberately befriending people and especially children so that no one would suspect him. He had established the image of a “toffee uncle”, using this trust to commit the crime and shatter the family’s faith forever. Mother’s anguish: “Her cheeks were swollen from repeated slaps” The survivor’s mother, struggling to speak through tears, said her daughter is the youngest of four siblings and studies in Class 2. She described the horrifying condition in which the child was found: “Both her cheeks were swollen and red, as if someone had slapped her again and again. Her knees, hands, and waist were bruised. The worst injuries were on her private parts,” she said. The child was unconscious when brought to AIIMS.
Though she has now regained consciousness after surgery, she cannot be discharged due to the risk of infection. Three-hour delay due to hospital chaos and lack of ambulance The girl was first taken to the Goharganj government hospital and then referred to Obedullaganj.
However, over 600–700 people had gathered at the hospital, causing chaos. The Block Medical Officer reportedly told the SDM that even the 108 ambulance did not have fuel, and the vehicle was not in usable condition. An ambulance was finally arranged from a nearby factory, but the delay resulted in severe blood loss and worsened her condition. Complex surgeries and long recovery ahead Doctors performed surgery on Saturday and said the child’s private parts were severely damaged.
They had to bypass nerves leading to the region to create a temporary system that allowed healing and ensured basic motion functions. She is currently in the ICU and able to talk slightly.
A second major surgery will be required once internal healing improves. Doctors estimate at least six months for recovery, and even after that, they are uncertain about her returning to full normalcy. Child fights for life, public outrage reaches boiling point At AIIMS Bhopal, a dedicated team of doctors is monitoring the child round the clock.
She is conscious but deeply traumatised, facing a long and painful recovery. Meanwhile, public anger in Goharganj has exploded.
Residents blame the police for failing to arrest the accused even after several days. Their demands remain firm:
“Hang Salman.”
“Do an encounter.”