Delhi: Parents of 12-yr-old rape survivor fears ‘second attack’
According to the police complaint registered by the family, the girl told her elder cousin that a male friend asked her to come to the bushes close to a railway line. However, five friends of that accused recorded a video and then used it to blackmail her and stop her from returning home.
The family of a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly gang-raped and sexually assaulted by six people, including five minor boys, in west Delhi’s Paschim Vihar police station area on May 20, have said that they have moved the rape survivor to a relative’s house in north Delhi since they feel that she might be “attacked again”.
They added that since all local residents in the area know about the incident, it might not be good for the mental health of the girl.
“What if she is attacked here again. And here, everyone knows about the incident so they will look at her in a certain way. It will not be good for her mental health. We will let the matter die down and then we will call her back,” the father of the girl said.
On May 20, the girl, a student of Class 7, went out to meet a friend around 5.30pm. However, when she did not return till 8.45, her father went around looking for her, but she returned home.
“She was crying and there was soil and leaves all over clothes,” the father said.
According to the police complaint registered by the family, the girl told her elder cousin that a male friend asked her to come to the bushes close to a railway line. However, five friends of that accused recorded a video and then used it to blackmail her and stop her from returning home. According to the complaint, the girl said that while one minor accused raped her, two other sexually assaulted her and three others watched them.
The accused also slapped her and threatened her before letting her go.
The police have recorded the girl’s statement and got a medical examination done, as per the law, the same night. Deputy commissioner of police (outer) Sameer Sharma said that a case under section 354 (molestation), 354(B) (assaults or uses criminal force to any woman or abets such act with the intention of disrobing or compelling her to be naked), 341 (wrongful confinement), 376DA (Punishment for gang rape on woman under sixteen years of age) of the Indian Penal.Code and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was registered at Paschim Vihar West police station.
He added that a 22-year-old man has been arrested and sent to judicial cusody, and five minors were apprehended and sent to observation home.
The family of the rape survivor said the incident will also impact her education and mental health. “We’ll have to be extra careful with her now. We are scared to send her to school also. Now, one person will have to accompany her to school and bring her back. Studies are very important. We will ensure that she continue her studies, and may explore the option of open school as well,” the father said.
In 2021, Delhi Police registered 1969 rape cases recording an increase of 21.6 % as compared to 1,618 cases in 2020.
Deeksha Dwivedi, a Delhi-based advocate, said based on several court cases that she has seen, rape with minors is rampant in economically weaker sections.”The live in congested areas which makes access easier for the accused,” she said. She also said that with the proliferation of social media, young boys pick up lot of wrong stuff on the internet.
