New Delhi:
In a shocking incident, a nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 25-year-old man in North Delhi's Bara Hindu Rao area.
According to the police, the accused identified as Gopi Nisha Malha has been arrested while the victim, whose condition is said to be critical is battling for her life at a government hospital.
"The incident took place on Sunday at around 6.30 pm, when the girl, who studies in Class III at a nearby government school, was playing in front of her house along with two of her friends.
"Malha approached them and lured them on the pretext of showing them something unique. Two of the three girls managed to flee from the spot but the accused caught hold of the victim. He then gagged her mouth and took her to a nearby secluded place, where he allegedly raped her," said a police official.
Meanwhile, two of her friends reached her home and reported the matter to her mother. Locals then searched for the girl and the man in the area. Hours later, the victim's mother spotted her daughter along with the accused in the nearby Nawabganj area.
"As she raised an alarm, the accused left the girl and fled from the spot. Local police was informed about the incident and the girl was taken to the nearby Bara Hindu Rao hospital. The accused was arrested on Monday," the official said.
The victim's condition is said to be critical and she is under close observation in ICU.
As per doctors treating her, the girl underwent an operation on Monday but her condition is still critical. They may carry out another surgery if her condition continues to remain critical in the next 24 hours. She is under the close observation of senior doctors.
Police have registered a case under sections 363 (Punishment for kidnapping), 376 (Punishment for rape), 377 (Unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 3/4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO) at Bara Hindu Rao police station.
The accused was produced before a court which sent him to judicial custody.