9-yr old sexually assaulted by neighbour

NEW DELHI: A nine-year old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by her neighbour in south east Delhi’s Sarita Vihar on Monday evening. The neighbour lured her towards

NEW DELHI: A nine-year old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by her neighbour in south east Delhi’s Sarita Vihar on Monday evening. The neighbour lured her towards railway tracks by offering her a chocolate but was caught by another neighbour. The accused has been arrested.

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On Tuesday, 26- year- old Zafar, who works as a labourer, was produced before a city court that sent him to Tihar jail for 14 days. The girl’s family alleged her father was beaten up by the accused when he went to his house to meet his family members and complain against him, said police.

Mandeep Singh Randhawa, deputy commissioner of police (southeast), said a case was registered against Zafar at the Sarita Vihar police station on a complaint filed by the girl’s family.

A police officer said the girl lives with her family in Ali village near Sarita Vihar. On Monday evening, she was playing outside her home when Zafar approached her and promised her chocolates. He allegedly gave her a Rs10 note and lured her to an isolated place near the railway tracks, where he sexually assaulted her.

“The girl resisted and screamed for help. Her screams grabbed the attention of a passerby who rushed towards the spot. Seeing the passerby coming, Zafar left the girl and fled,” said the officer. The passerby turned out to be a neighbour of the girl as well as Zafar’s.

The girl, the officer said, returned home and informed her parents. Her father went to Zafar’s house to tell his family members about the crime. The father found the accused who allegedly turned violent.

“The girl’s family approached the police and filed a case against Zafar. A case was registered and Zafar was arrested,” said the officer. The police recorded the neighbour’s statement who saw the accused.