MUMBAI, India – The rape of a 6-year-old girl in India is a “blot on society,” says Archbishop Leo Cornelio.

The Archbishop of Bhopal was responding to the attack in a village in Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh state on Wednesday evening. The girl was abducted outside her home, where she was playing with friends, raped and then had her eyes grievously injured – which police said was an attempt to keep her from identifying her attacker.

According to press reports, the girl is in critical condition in a hospital in the city of Jabalpur.

“We are deeply ashamed and saddened by this horrific violation of this young girl child. Crimes against girl child and women are a blot on society,” Cornelio said.

“The perverted mindset of the perpetrators of this heinous crime must be strongly condemned,” the archbishop told Crux. “The church in Madhya Pradesh completely condemn it. Respect for women must be taught in the home itself, also in schools and society. This incident is evil.”

Police are conducting a manhunt for the person responsible.