Oct. 3: For 11-year-old Meena Das (name changed), the relationship with her father was nothing short of a nightmare.

Police arrested her father Nageswar Das, aged 42, on charges of raping and attempting to kill Meena last night.

The police said Nageswar had forced himself on Meena in the absence of her mother at their rented house in Amingaon about a week back. He had threatened her of dire consequences if she told her mother about the incident.

“Traumatised by the sexual abuse at the hands of her father, the girl gathered courage to tell her mother last evening. According to their neighbours, when the girl’s mother raised a hue and cry over the incident, Nageswar attacked Meena with a machete,” a police officer said.

The victim had to be rushed to a nearby hospital with injuries on her neck and body. She is now out of danger.

“The neighbours caught hold of Nageswar and thrashed him before he was rescued by the police. He would have been lynched had we not intervened,” the police officer added.

The police have registered a case against Nageswar at Jalukbari police station.

“On the basis of an FIR lodged by the victim’s mother, we have registered a case against the accused on charges of rape and attempt to murder. The statement of the victim has also been recorded,” the police officer said.

The victim’s mother told the police that she had no inkling about her daughter’s plight because she worked as a maid and had to stay away from home during the day.

The residents of the area demanded harsh punishment for Nageswar.

According to the police, Nageswar, who is a rickshawpuller, hails from Pathsala area of Barpeta district.

The police officer said neighbours have revealed that the accused used to regularly harass and beat up his wife and daughter. “From their neighbours we came to know that he used to keep his daughter away from them. He did not allow the girl to play with her friends,” the officer added.