Meerut, Nov. 16 -- A 67-year-old man allegedly lured an 8-year-old UKG student returning from school with the promise of a toffee, took her to his home, held her hostage and raped her on Thursday in Bijnor district. The child, whose condition remains critical and is struggling to speak, confided in her mother upon returning home, leading to the immediate arrest of the accused. The victim's mother, a resident of a locality in Nagina town, filed a police report detailing the ordeal. She explained that her husband works in Uttarakhand, leaving her to care for their children in Nagina. Her daughter studies in UKG at a city school. On Thursday afternoon, around 1 pm, the girl returned home and revealed that "an uncle" had done something wrong with her. According to the complaint, the accused, identified as Shahid, a resident of Mohalla Luhari Sarai, orchestrated the crime by offering to buy the child a toffee. Once inside his house, he allegedly confined her and committed the assault. He then threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone. Following the compalint, the police registered a case under sections for kidnapping, rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. On Friday, Shahid was arrested and produced before a magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody. "The accused has been sent to jail. We will push for a fast-track trial to ensure swift and stringent punishment," said Circle Officer (CO) Nagina, Anjani Kumar Chaturvedi. Preliminary investigations revealed that the elderly accused frequently gave the girl small amounts of money, often a 10-rupee note, for toffees or chocolates as she commuted to and from school. On the day of the crime, the mother noticed the currency note in her daughter's possession and questioned her. The child broke down in tears and recounted the assault, leaving the mother in shock. Medical examination confirmed the rape, and the girl was admitted to a hospital where her condition is described as serious....