Ujjain, June 27 (IANS) Police inaction in a molestation complaint has come under scrutiny after a 19-year-old college student was allegedly stabbed 14 times by her jilted lover in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain on Friday. The accused was arrested within three hours of the attack, while the victim remains in critical condition.

The victim had allegedly approached police on June 15 with a molestation complaint against the accused.

However, instead of registering an FIR, the local police reportedly brokered a compromise between the two.

The survivor disclosed this to senior police officers after Friday’s attack, prompting an enquiry into the handling of the earlier complaint.

The incident took place near Madhav Club in Dawa Bazar. The victim, identified as Pooja alias Gungun, a first-year B.A. student and resident of Bapu Nagar, was on her way to work as a computer operator at a pharmacy when she was stopped by the accused, 21-year-old Sunil Jaroliya.

Police said the two spoke briefly before the accused suddenly pulled out a knife and attacked her repeatedly.

CCTV footage shows the assault lasted less than a minute, during which she was stabbed 14 times.

She suffered serious injuries to her abdomen, neck and hands, while panic spread through the busy market.

Local people rushed to her rescue and shifted her to the district hospital. She was later referred to Patidar Hospital, where doctors said her condition remains critical.

Ujjain Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma said the accused had been harassing the woman after she stopped talking to him.

The accused was arrested within three hours of the incident.

While trying to escape, he fell from a wall and fractured his leg. He is undergoing treatment and will be interrogated before being produced before the court on Friday.

During questioning, the accused told police that he had become friends with the victim on Instagram around four years ago.

He claimed he was upset because she had stopped answering his calls over the past 10 days.

Police said the victim’s family, particularly her mother, was opposed to the alleged relationship.

Senior police officials said the role of the police personnel who handled the June 15 complaint is being examined. Departmental action will be taken if any negligence is found.

–IANS

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