A three-year-old girl's alleged sexual assault in Jharkhand's Gumla district has triggered widespread concern after a village panchayat allegedly attempted to resolve the matter internally instead of reporting it to the police. Authorities said the accused was later arrested after police received information about the alleged cover-up. The incident occurred in Palma village under the Ghaghra police station limits, where officials also found that part of the money collected as a penalty had allegedly been used to organise a feast.

According to police, the accused, identified as Sunil Lohara, allegedly visited the victim's home on Saturday evening while her mother was present. Investigators said he took the child away from her mother on the pretext of looking after her for a short time. The family later realised something was wrong after the child returned in distress and was subsequently taken for medical attention.

Instead of immediately informing law enforcement authorities, the matter was allegedly placed before members of the village panchayat. Police said a meeting was held on Sunday during which some villagers reportedly decided to settle the case within the community. As part of the alleged settlement, the accused was fined Rs 1 lakh instead of the matter being referred to the police for legal action.

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Investigators said the accused paid Rs 20,000 of the imposed penalty during the meeting, while the remaining amount was to be paid later. Police further alleged that the money already collected was used to organise a gathering involving food and liquor. Officials said they received a tip-off from a villager about the alleged attempt to suppress the case and immediately rushed to the village.

Ghaghra police station in-charge Mohan Kumar said officers registered a case based on the statement of the victim's mother after learning that pressure within the village had prevented the matter from reaching the police earlier. The accused was arrested during the gathering, and police also recorded statements from those connected to the incident as part of the ongoing investigation.

Lodo Ekka, head of the Arangi Panchayat, said a meeting had taken place following the incident but claimed he had not been informed about it beforehand. He said he became aware of the gathering only after police arrived. Authorities said the investigation is continuing and that further legal action will be taken against all those found responsible in accordance with the law.

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