Two juveniles held for Nihal Vihar rape
THE JUVENILES, POLICE SAID, WERE APPREHENDED AFTER 18 TEAMS ROUNDED UP AND QUESTIONED MORE THAN 250 SUSPECTS
NEW DELHI: Two juveniles were apprehended on Sunday in connection with the brutal rape of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl in west Delhi’s Nihal Vihar which triggered protests and a political blame game with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal demanding control of the Delhi Police. The boys, aged 17 and 16, have confessed to the crime, police said.
Police said the victim knew the 17-year-old boy — a Class 8 dropout who lived in the neighbourhood — and did not raise an alarm when he abducted her from outside her home on Friday night. He then called his friend, a Class 10 student, and took the girl to a nearby park where they allegedly raped her and dumped her in the area bleeding profusely. She was found by a search party at 2.30am and rushed to hospital where her condition was said to be stable.
National Commission for Women chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam visited the toddler and another five-yearold girl who was raped the same night by her landlord and two others, and assured all help to their families.
The juveniles, police said, were apprehended after 18 teams rounded up and questioned more than 250 suspects. “We launched a massive manhunt. More than 250 suspects were rounded up. Two minor boys from the neighbourhood were found missing. They were later apprehended. Both admitted to their guilt. We have gathered the evidence to corroborate their involvement,” DCP (west) Pushpendra Kumar said.
The two boys were thrashed by angry locals and relatives of the victim when they were taken for medical examination at a city hospital. Investigating officers said one of them also confessed to molesting another minor girl a few days ago. Sources said verification of the claim could be difficult as the law does not allow the police to keep records of juveniles.
The 17-year-old was working in a local factory and lived 20feet from the victim’s house.