A three-and-a half-year-old girl was allegedly sexually abused by two female employees of a private day-care center and primary school in Hyderabad, the capital city of southern India's Telangana state. According to local reports, the female helpers inserted stones and a twig in the child's private parts during the abuse.

P. Achyuta Rao, president of the Child Rights Protection Committee of the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh, said the incident took place April 10 and the police registered the case the same day. However, details of the case were only revealed Sunday.

The child's mother, who informed police about the incident April 10, reportedly claimed she found her baby bleeding and a stone in her private parts. The parents alleged the police asked the baby to be taken to a government hospital for medical examination, but did not carry out an investigation as they were busy with the 2019 Indian general election, which were to be held the day following the incident.

However, a local police officer, identified as Rammohan Reddy, said the girl was immediately taken to a government hospital and police launched a probe.

"As per the preliminary investigation, there were no signs of any sexual abuse, but it was found that the helpers had pushed a small stone into the girl's private parts. There was no bleeding as per the reports," he said, according to local media Hindustan Times.

The officer also said they had identified the two female helpers but the duo were not formally arrested, pending investigation. A case was registered under India's Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Meanwhile, the child rights protection committee president demanded the government take serious action against the school management for not being able to provide protection for girl children. A detailed investigation into the incident was underway.

This article originally appeared in IBTimes US.

Child
iStock