5-year-old struggles for life after being raped, brutalised by teen neighbour in Madhya Pradesh

Doctors at Gwalior's Kamala Raja Hospital said she needed 28 stitches in her private parts and an operation for colostomy.

The accused is a 17-year-old who has been arrested and is being tried as a juvenile, the police said. 

The police said the accused, who was drunk at the time, had slammed her head against a wall several times and then brutalised her.

Apart from the head injuries, the victim's body and private parts bore multiple cuts, scratches, and bite marks.

The child, whom doctors stabilised after a two-hour operation, is still critical. Though she is conscious, she has not spoken since the assault, which took place five days ago.

The child, a resident of Shivpuri, had gone missing on Feb 23.

She was found almost two hours later on the terrace of a house in the neighbourhood, unconscious and covered in blood.

Angry locals, backed by political parties, have held protests and demonstrations in the area.

Leaders across party lines, including Congress and the BJP have asked for a fast-track court and death penalty for the accused.

The leaders have submitted a memorandum to the district administration.