Residential complex staff arrested for sexual assault on 18-month-old girl

Bengaluru, May 21: The police, on Friday, arrested a 26-year-old man, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012, for allegedly sexually assaulting an 18-month-old girl.

The accused, Deepesh Pradhan, from Darjeeling, was part of the housekeeping and maintenance staff of a residential building, at Doddakannahalli in HSR Layout. The girl's parents, from Darjeeling, also work in the building: her father is a security guard and her mother a domestic help.

The family lived in a makeshift house next to the residential complex.

According to the police, the parents had left the child alone at home as they both had to go to work on Thursday. Taking advantage of the situation, the accused assaulted the girl, a police officer said. When the girl started yelling, he tried to flee, but neighbours stopped him.

On hearing the commotion, her father rushed to the house. According to the police, a preliminary examination of the child by a doctor came back positive for sexual assault. “It is based on this that we have arrested Deepesh, who has been subjected to a medical examination,” said a police officer. He added that the accused confessed to the crime.

Deepesh has been remanded in judicial custody. He had joined the house keeping staff at the apartment a few months ago and was also living in the makeshift house with other employees. The accused was close to the couple and used to visit them often, the police said.

The accused

was part of the housekeeping staff of a residential building

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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