Minor raped by neighbour, accused arrested

NEWDELHI: A three-and-half-yearold girl was raped, allegedly by her 22-year-old neighbour, in east Delhi’s Trilokpuri on Saturday. The girl was admitted to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital from where she was shifted to AIIMS.

Police said her condition was stated to be out of danger and stable. “The girl child did not have to undergo a surgery but has been kept under observation at the hospital because of her injuries,” said a police officer privy to the case. Her family staged a protest against the police on Monday.

Jasmeet Singh, additional deputy commissioner of police (east), said a case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and protection of children from sexual offences (POCSO) act was registered and the neighbour, identified as Shankar, was arrested.

According to police, the child lives with her parents in Trilokpuri. Her father is a fruit vendor while the mother is a housewife.

On Saturday night, there was a power cut when the girl was with her mother. The girl started crying after which Shankar came and told her mother that he was taking her to his shanty.

After a few minutes, the girl’s mother heard her daughter crying. She went to bring her back. As she entered his room, she found her daughter bleeding. The mother raised an alarm after which Shankar allegedly fled.

The woman informed her husband. They took her daughter to LBS hospital where doctors confirmed rape. “As the girl’s condition was serious, she was referred to AIIMS for better treatment,” said the officer.