Minors raped: Both suspects were familiar to victims, say police

In the first case reported from Gulabi Bagh, a six-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 52-year-old man after he lured her away from a public park near her home.

The suspects in the rape of two minor girls in north and outer-north districts on November 3 were familiar to the victims, police said on Monday. It was earlier reported that the accused were strangers.

In the first case reported from Gulabi Bagh, a six-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 52-year-old man after he lured her away from a public park near her home.

Anto Alphonse, deputy commissioner of police (north), said the girl told her family about the incident and described the suspect to them. Since the man lived in the same neighbourhood, the girl showed his house to her family members following which they approached the police.

“The girl’s family immediately took her to identify the house. The girl was able to identify the house after which her family approached the Gulabi Bagh police station,” said Alphonse.

The police then arrested the suspected, an unmarried rickshaw puller, from his house. “He had lured the girl away to his home and raped her there,” said the DCP.

He said the suspect and the victim girl were not strangers. “Their houses are located in the same neighbourhood, about 300 metres from each other. The suspect and the girl’s family knew each other since they lived in the same neighbourhood,” said Alphonse.

In the second case reported from Narela, the police said that the four-year-old girl and her sister were playing outside a temple, about a kilometre from their home, with several other children when the suspect lured her away on November 3.

Jitendra Kumar Meena, who is serving temporarily as the deputy commissioner of police of outer-north district, said the 14-year-old suspect used to play with the children. He said that the victim’s parents did not know the suspect, or vice-versa. “Their houses are located in separate blocks,” said Meena.

On November 3, the suspect handed a Rs10 note to the girl and asked her to purchase a water bottle. “When the girl went to get water, he took her into the bushes and raped her. He then left the crime scene while the victim returned home,” said the officer.

The girl’s grandmother took her to the hospital after she noticed bleeding. When the police were informed, investigators asked the children about the suspect. “A 10-year-old boy described the hair and clothes of the suspect. On that basis, we nabbed the suspect the day after the crime even though he was trying to hide as he knew he had done a crime,” said the DCP.

The police formally apprehended the suspect two days after the crime when they were able to establish his alleged involvement, said Meena.

The Delhi Police has said that an analysis of all rape cases this year show that in 97.25% of the cases, the suspects were known to the victims and in only 2.75% cases were strangers involved.

Eish Singhal, Delhi Police spokesperson, said that the police have been running programmes such as Nirbheek, Nazuk and Sashakti to sensitise young students and children on such issues.