In a gruesome incident, a 49-year-old man allegedly assaulted a 12-year-old girl before pushing her from the roof of a residential apartment in Khammam three days ago, leaving her seriously injured with fractured ribs.

The shocking incident came to light after the grievously injured girl regained consciousness at a city-based hospital where she is undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

According to sources, the traumatised girl reportedly narrated the horrific incident to her parents late on Monday night following which the latter lodged a complaint against the accused identified as Mohammed Ghouse, a truck driver.

Sources said that Ghouse allegedly targeted the minor girl who had been staying with her family members at the apartment complex, where her grandfather is working as a watchman, for the past few days.

The accused allegedly pushed the girl off the roof of the apartment complex after assaulting her when she reportedly resisted his rape attempt by raising an alarm, sources added.

The Khammam two-town police have registered a case against Ghouse under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The police are on the lookout for the absconding accused.

The horrific incident sparked outrage, widespread protests and calls for harshest punishment to the accused.