16-year-old girl allegedly gangraped, stabbed to death in Outer Delhi; four apprehended
A 16-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped and stabbed to death in Outer North Delhi, following which police apprehended her 17-year-old friend and three of his friends in connection with the crime, officials said.
The four accused — two aged 17, one 16 and one 19 — were apprehended on Wednesday, police said.
The girl's decomposed body was recovered from an open field during the intervening night of September 12 and 13. According to police, the incident took place on the night of September 10 after the girl went to meet her 17-year-old friend.
Police said the boy allegedly called three of his friends, and the group spent some time together before allegedly sexually assaulting the girl. An officer said the girl allegedly threatened to approach the police, following which the accused allegedly stabbed her to death and left her body near bushes.
After receiving information about a body lying in an open field, a police team reached the spot. DCP (Outer North) Lokeshwaran R said the victim could not initially be identified.
Police said one of the apprehended persons has denied involvement in the crime. His claim is being examined, with police awaiting medical and forensic reports.
Based on prima facie evidence, police registered an FIR under Sections 103(1), 238(A), 65(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Section 103(1) of the BNS relates to murder, while Section 238 concerns causing disappearance of evidence or providing false information to protect an offender. Section 65(1) deals with rape of a woman below 16 years of age, and Section 3(5) relates to acts carried out by several people in furtherance of their common intention. Section 6 of the POCSO Act deals with aggravated penetrative sexual assault of a child, including gang penetrative sexual assault.
Police said there were initially no eyewitnesses and the identities of those responsible were unknown. Investigators examined footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras and noticed a tempo near the crime scene.
The vehicle's owner was subsequently contacted and allegedly told police that one of his friends had taken the tempo on the night of the incident.
“On the basis of the developed leads, a night long search operation was conducted during the intervening night of September 15-16. The suspected tempo was traced and its driver identified and questioned. Further probe led to the apprehension of four persons allegedly connected with the offence,” the DCP said.
Police said the investigation is continuing to establish the complete sequence of events, determine the individual role of each of the four apprehended persons and ascertain whether anyone else was involved.
The exhibits recovered during the investigation have been preserved for forensic examination, and further legal action will be taken accordingly, the officer said. (with inputs from media organisations)
