An 18-month-old baby girl was sexually assaulted allegedly by her father’s friend who was babysitting her at her house in Shahpur Jat on Monday.

According to police, the girl’s parents had left her in the care and protection of the accused when they went out to their respective workplaces. The accused, a friend and colleague of the girl’s father in a private security company, lives with them.

“He came back after night duty while the girl’s father left home for his morning duty. Her mother and siblings also left and finding the child alone, the man sexually assaulted her,” said a senior police officer.

When the girl’s mother returned in the evening, she found the child crying and bleeding from the private parts. She took the child to a nearby hospital where it was found that she had been sexually assaulted.

The 21-year-old accused is unmarried. Additional DCP South Chinmoy Biswal said a case has been registered under POCSO and the accused been arrested. His name, however, was not disclosed by Biswal.