Ujjain:  A horrifying video of a 12-year-old girl, raped and bleeding from injuries, helplessly wandering in a semi-naked state, seeking help door-to-door, has taken the nation by shock. The incident occurred in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, the state with a dismal record of violence against women and girls.

Please stared at her, apathy clearly visible as they refused to help despite her pitiable condition. One of them even shooed her away as she begged him for help.

People’s indifference to the traumatized minor girl, who begged for their help and protection, was caught on CCTV camera at Badnagar road, about 15 km from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.

The girl eventually reached an ashram where a priest suspected sexual violence, said the report.

He covered her with a towel and rushed her to the district hospital. The medical examination confirmed rape, it said.

She was rushed to Indore for advanced treatment as her injuries were serious and she needed blood.

Police personnel came forward to help her with blood, the report said.

Her condition is now stable, said the report.

She could not respond clearly to queries about her name and her address, said police, it added.

A case of rape against unidentified accused has been registered under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Ujjain police chief Sachin Sharma said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to identify and catch the culprits at the earliest.

He said the location of the crime will be soon found as the investigation has just started.

He added the girl’s accent indicates that she could be from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh

The blood-curdling incident has once again put Madhya Pradesh under the scanner for being a hub of crime against women.

In 2021, Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number of rapes in the country in 2021- 6,462 - as per the National Crime Records Bureau data.

Minor girls were victims in over 50 percent of the crimes, which is equivalent to 18 rapes per day.

Madhya Pradesh along with Maharashtra also reported the topped the cases of disappearance of women and girls between 2019 and 2021.