IDUKKI: A 52-year-old man has been arrested for raping a seven-year-old girl in Vandanmedu, Mali, Idukki. The police have arrested K. Mani, alias Ettaramani, a native of Mali. The accused molested the girl during the Christmas holidays. The complaint is that the child was forcibly brought to his home and molested three times over several days.

The incident came to light when the girl came to school after the Christmas vacation and felt abdominal pain. The child told her friend about the stomach pain. The friend informed the teacher and then the teacher informed the parents.

Mani was arrested after the family filed a complaint at the Vandanmedu police station. The girl has given a statement to the police that during the torture, the accused sprayed something on her face and taped her mouth to stop her from making a sound.