In another shocking incident, a 14-year-old girl worker was allegedly “raped” and impregnated by a 38-year-old lemon vendor at LB Nagar, Hyderabad. The girl was rescued by the police and child rights activists on Tuesday.

According to the police, the accused, M. Yesaiah aka Yesappa had been running a lemon shop in LB Nagar market. He employed the girl at his shop for a meagre wage to help him and had been sexually assaulting her since two years.

“Exploiting her helplessness he molested and raped her for two years,” said a child right activist, who was in the team which rescued the girl. The girl has been shifted to Osmania General Hospital for medical examination.

The girl was living in a temporary shelter at Junior NTR Nagar in LB Nagar with her parents. She had never told her parents about the sexual assault. Her parents came to know about this incident only after she became pregnant.

Police said the accused lured the girl by giving her money and other favours. The accused, who is married, live with his wife and children.

Police booked a case against him for rape (Section 376) and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) and was sent to judicial remand by the court.