The accused who is a ragpicker was arrested on Monday itself, the police said. (Representational)
A 21-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping a seven-year-old girl in Shahdara's Seemapuri area, the police said today. The incident took place on Monday night, they added.
In a statement to the police, the victim's mother alleged that her daughter was raped by a neighbour. The girl was playing outside her residence at around 10.30 pm on Monday when the accused took her to the bushes near the DLF chowk and raped her, a senior police officer said.
The victim was bleeding when she returned home. On being questioned by her mother, she narrated her ordeal.
Based on a complaint filed by the victim's mother, a case was registered at the Seemapuri police station under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the police said.
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal tweeted about the incident saying the accused took the girl to a park, inserted a water pipe into her private parts and then raped her.
However, the police said according to the examining lady doctor the victim's condition was stable and no foreign object was inserted into her private parts.
The victim has been admitted to the Guru Teg Bahadur hospital. The doctor said the excess bleeding was due to an injury in her private parts.
The accused, a ragpicker, was arrested on Monday itself, the police said.
The DCW said it will file an application seeking compensation for the rape survivor.
"Cannot describe the pain the little girl was experiencing. Already malnourished, she has a long struggle ahead. We are going to support her in her legal fight to ensure death penalty to her culprits. Will file compensation application & shall make all efforts to rehabilitate her (sic)," Ms Maliwal tweeted.
According to data compiled by the Delhi Police, more than two children were raped every day in the national capital in the first four months of 2018. Till April 30, 282 cases of child rape were reported as opposed to 278 last year. In 2017, 894 such cases were reported in the national capital.