LUCKNOW, June 6 -- A two-and-a-half-year-old girl was allegedly raped near the Alambagh Metro station in Lucknow, one of the busiest zones at due to the presence of the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT). The victim, a daughter of pavement dwellers from Unnao, was picked up while she was sleeping next to her father and mother on the roadside early Thursday morning, police said. The accused is still absconding, and police teams have been formed to trace him. The child was found in a severely injured state, abandoned around 500 metres from the spot. Her cries were heard by a differently-abled man, who alerted her ragpicker parents. They were already searching for her after discovering her missing around 4 am. This incident occurred close to the site where a woman from Ayodhya was abducted and murdered after a failed sexual assault attempt by an e-rickshaw driver and his brother earlier in March. That case had also raised concerns about women's safety in the city. Doctors at KGMU trauma centre said that the minor sustained grievous injuries to her private parts and requires urgent surgery. Her condition remains critical. Dr Rajiv Dixit, medical superintendent of Rajnarayan Lokbandhu Hospital, said the girl was first brought to their hospital at around 7:30 am. "She was in pain and was immediately shifted to the emergency ICU. A team of specialists, including a gynaecologist, paediatrician, and surgeon, conducted initial assessments. Due to the severity of her condition, she was referred to KGMU by noon," he added. Deputy commissioner of police (Central), Ashish Srivastava, confirmed that an FIR was lodged at Alambagh police station, a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and POCSO sections 5(h) and 6 was registered. "The family initially took the child to Lok Bandhu Hospital, where doctors confirmed rape and informed the One Stop Centre. Subsequently, the police were notified," Srivastava said. "Five police teams have been formed to track down the accused. Senior officials are monitoring the investigation on the ground," he added. Archana Singh, in-charge of the One Stop Centre in Lucknow, said, "As soon as our unit received the call from Lok Bandhu hospital, we rushed to the child and found her profusely bleeding with grave injuries to her lower body." The victim's father recounted that the family had eaten their dinner and settled on the roadside to sleep. "We didn't even realise when she was taken. An elderly man informed us early in the morning about our child crying nearby," he said. As per the FIR, the incident is suspected to have occurred between 2:30 am and 3 am. The location, a high-traffic zone near ISBT and the Metro bridge, has once again raised questions over Lucknow Police's claims of effective night patrolling. Madhu Garg of AIDWA said, "Crimes against minors are increasing while fear among criminals is vanishing."...