Madhya Pradesh police on Thursday arrested the main accused in the rape case of a 15-year-old girl in Ujjain. The accused, identified as Bharat Soni, is an auto-rickshaw driver. He is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital after sustaining injuries while trying to escape from police custody.

The incident shocked the entire country after a CCTV video of the bleeding minor victim went viral in which she was seen asking for help door to door but only to be shooed away.  She was helped by a priest who gave her clothes and informed the police.

“Today, we reached the spot to… recover the clothes worn by the girl. Sensing an opportunity, Bharat Soni tried to escape. Police personnel chased and caught him. During this, he fell on a cemented road, injuring his arms and legs,” police inspector Ajay Kumar told reporters.

The police said a case will also be registered against another auto driver who didn’t inform the police about the incident.

Reacting to the development, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the accused has injured the very soul of the state and his government will ensure he gets the strictest punishment. The chief minister also called the victim his own daughter and promised to look after her.

“He (accused Bharat Soni) will be given the strictest punishment. We will leave no stone unturned in getting him punished. I was keeping track of the situation every hour. Such criminals are not fit to be a part of society. He has injured the soul of Madhya Pradesh. She is my daughter, daughter of Madhya Pradesh. We will care of her,” CM Chouhan said.

Meanwhile, Ujjain SP Sachin Sharma also rejected the narrative that she was not helped by anyone and said that people gave her financial help. According to reports, some people gave her Rs 50 and 100 but no one except the priest informed the police or took her to hospital.

“An attempt was made to spread a narrative that no one helped her (the victim), but during our investigation, we found that people helped her financially, it would have been better if (more) help could have been provided…,” Sharma said.