New Delhi, June 30 : Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday voiced his angst against the brutal gang rape and assault of an eight-year-old schoolgirl in Madhya Pradesh and said the nation must come together to protect the children.

"In Mandsaur an eight-year-old girl was kidnapped and gang raped, and is battling for her life.

"The brutality this young child was subjected to sickens me. As a nation, we must come together to protect our children and bring the attackers to speedy justice," Gandhi tweeted.

The child was abducted while she was waiting for her father outside her school on Tuesday.

She was gang raped, her throat was slit and left to die. A day later, the Madhya Pradesh police arrested Irfan alias Bhaiyu, 20, a labourer, on the basis of CCTV footage.

On Friday, the police made another arrest of a construction worker, Asif, 24, after Irfan named him as an accomplice. Both were booked under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act even as the probe continued.

Doctors treating the victim in Indore said she was "severely assaulted". She has started showing signs of improvement, they said, adding that the minor might be out of danger physically but her mental trauma would last longer.

Several political leaders and eminent personalities have reacted to the horrific incident on the social media.

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi said: "It's blood curdling. What's happening to this world? Culprits must be brought to book and given the strictest punishment."

AICC General Secretary and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the incident and said: "Such a horrific crime is a shame on humanity. We all are with the victim and her family members."

Commentator and right wing activist Rahul Easwar has applauded the Muslim community in Mandsaur for coming forward against the crime and asking for the strictest punishment to the accused.

"Applause and respect to our Muslim leaders in Mandsaur. No place for rape accused in muslim community graveyard and no prayers will be offered to him on his death - Muslim community leaders on Irfan, the rape accused of Mandsaur," tweeted Easwar tagging a media report on the same.

The incident has sparked protests in different cities across the region in Madhya Pradesh demanding capital punishment for the accused.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday condemned the incident and said that rapists were a "burden on the earth" and his government will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the accused were hanged.

Chouhan has assured the best possible treatment to the victim and said his government would also take care of her education and future needs.

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Ghaziabad (UP) (PTI): The Ghaziabad Police has suspended four personnel over presumed negligence and dereliction of duty after a detainee suffered severe injuries while allegedly fleeing from custody, a police official said on Friday.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Modinagar) Bhaskar Verma said one Amit Kumar (35), an outsourced employee at Patla Nagar Panchayat, was allegedly drinking alcohol with three of his friends at a public place on Tuesday night. When Niwari police station arrived and reprimanded them, an altercation ensued, and Amit was subsequently detained.

While police were taking him for medical examination at Community Health Centre Muradnagar, Amit reportedly jumped from the moving police vehicle near the health centre to escape. As he ran towards the Delhi-Meerut highway, he was hit by an oncoming truck and sustained severe injuries. He was rushed to Yashoda Hospital in Nehru Nagar, where he is currently undergoing treatment in the ICU.

The police personnel allegedly failed to report the truck accident to their senior officers initially, claiming instead that Amit had fallen and injured himself while attempting to flee.

The incident sparked outrage among locals and the family of the detainee, who alleged that Amit was brutally thrashed while in custody.

On Thursday, protesters gathered outside the Niwari police station for nearly an hour, raising slogans against the police. The situation was eventually brought under control after officials assured that stringent action would be taken.

In response, a delegation of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leaders met Police Commissioner J Ravindra Goud to submit a formal complaint demanding accountability for the Niwari police station personnel.

On Thursday evening, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari issued the suspension order against Patla police outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector Lokendra, Sub-Inspector Shaid Khan, Head Constable Sachin Mohan and Constable Narendra.

Additionally, the role of Niwari Station House Officer KK Maurya is under investigation, and a departmental inquiry has been initiated against the errant personnel, Verma said.