Two juveniles -17-and-a-half years and 16 years —who live in the same neighbourhood — have been apprehended in connection with the gory gang rape of a two-and-a-half-year-old
girl at West Delhi’s Nihal Vihar area.
Those arrested did not turn out to be the two people — seen taking a girl on a motorbike and whose images were captured on a CCTV footage.
On Friday night, the two juveniles, known to the girl’s family, had taken advantage of a power cut in the area and had allegedly abducted the girl, after which, at least one of them had raped her, said a police official adding that they will file the charge sheet within 10 days.
“More than 24 teams were formed to crack this case and around 1,000 locals were questioned throughout the night, after which the police zeroed in on a few. later, the accused juveniles were apprehended,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Dependra Pathak. It is yet to be verified whether only one of the accused juveniles raped the girl or both took turns, Pathak added.
“The persons who were seen taking a child on a motorbike were also identified. However, they turned out to be locals who were travelling with the daughter of one of the two riders and had nothing to do with the incident,” said Pathak.
He also said they will file the chargesheet within ten days. “As we have nabbed the accused, now we will file the chargesheet within ten days so that there is no delay in the process of their conviction,” Pathak said.
According to police, both the accused and the victim were all among the spectators at a Ramlila event in the neighbourhood on Friday night. The girl was there with her grandmother and went missing after a 10-minute-long powercut in the locality around 11.30 pm.
After three hours, neighbours spotted the girl bleeding profusely and crying in a park, half a kilometer away from their residence. The girl was rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial hospital where she was admitted. The hospital authorities confirmed rape.
A case under relevant sections of IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered immediately and a manhunt was launched by the cops. The accused persons’ family is labourers. Both were apprehended from their houses, the Joint CP added.