12-year-old girl lured by woman, gang-raped by man and three minors in Delhi

The minor suspects are aged 12, 14 and 15 years and have been detained. After the incident, the girl managed to clean herself up and boarded a train to Bawana

A 12-year-old girl was allegedly lured by a woman and then gang-raped by a man and three minors, in north Delhi’s Sadar Bazar on January 1. The matter was reported to police on Thursday after which all the five accused were held, police officials aware of the matter said on Saturday.

According to a senior police officer, the incident was reported to them by the victim, a resident of Bawana and who is a waste picker. (Representational image)

Deputy commissioner of police (north) Manoj Kumar Meena said that a case under section 376D (gangrape) and other relevant sections was registered immediately.

Police identified one of the suspects as Suresh Kumar, 38, who sells tea at the Sadar Bazar slum cluster and the woman as Beauty (who goes by single name), a resident of the same locality. Both of them have been arrested, while the three minors, aged 12, 14 and 15 years, have been apprehended.

According to a senior police officer, the incident was reported to them by the victim, a resident of Bawana and who is a waste picker. She allegedly told police that she picks waste in Bawana with a group of people regularly. On January 1, when she was alone at Sadar Bazar, Beauty came to meet her, the officer added.

“She knew Beauty, who earlier used to live in Bawana and also picks waste for a living. She lured the minor to the place where the suspects were waiting. The four then raped her in an isolated place,” the officer said.

After the incident, the girl managed to clean herself up and boarded a train to Bawana. “Beauty had threatened her not to reveal the incident to anyone. For two days, she remained quiet. On Thursday, she again came to Sadar Bazar to pick waste. She met her cousin who lives in the locality and confided the incident in her,” the investigator said.

The cousin then informed the minor’s parents, both labourers, and all of them went to the police station.

Police said that a team was immediately constituted and all suspects were nabbed within hours of the matter being reported. “We suspect that accused gave Beauty some money to bring a girl for them. She spotted the victim and lured her to them,” the officer said.