10-year-old girl abducted, raped in Prasad Ngr: Cops

NEW DELHI: A 10-year-old girl, selling roses at traffic signals in central Delhi, was allegedly kidnapped, raped and left unconscious in a forest area by an e-rickshaw driver, police said on Thursday.

After having analysed footage from nearly 300 CCTVs installed across multiple routes and identifying his red e-rickshaw, police arrested the accused, Durgesh (25), a resident of Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh.

The incident occurred on January 10 in the Prasad Nagar area, where the girl was standing at a red light selling roses. The accused stopped his e-rickshaw after dropping off passengers.

“When the child approached him to sell flowers, he lured her by offering her tea near BL Kapoor Hospital,” a senior police officer said.

The victim told police that Durgesh took her to a secluded area with a forest patch and a boundary wall. He then took her to a blue-painted room, adjoining the wall, with a broken entry point and raped her.

Believing her to be dead, Durgesh fled and left the girl unconscious and bleeding, police said.

After regaining consciousness, the girl managed to reach her family. Alarmed by her blood-soaked condition, they immediately took her to a hospital and

informed the police.

The girl provided a clear description of the accused, including his facial features, clothing, and the red electric rickshaw with a white roof which he drove, police added.

A case under relevant sections of kidnapping and rape, along with provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, was registered, police said.

Police began scanning CCTV footage from the area where the child was last seen and from routes leading to the forest. The place of occurrence was finally identified on Ramnath Vijay Marg, after they found the girl’s slipper near a blue-painted room.

Multiple CCTV cameras were analysed, through which the red electric rickshaw carrying the victim was traced. Thereafter, electric rickshaws standing at BL Kapoor Hospital, Karol Bagh Metro Station, Rajendra Place Metro Station, Patel Nagar Metro Station, and Pusa Chambri Bus Stand were checked.

Photographs of suspicious drivers were taken and circulated among the team for identification.

During further surveillance, the suspected red electric rickshaw was found parked between Rajendra Place Petrol Pump and JP Siddharth Hotel. The police team kept watch at the spot. After some time, a person matching the victim’s description arrived at the location.

On noticing the police team, he attempted to flee but was chased and arrested.

During interrogation, Durgesh told police that he had noticed the girl at the traffic signal on earlier occasions and had planned the abduction. On his disclosure, police recovered blood-stained clothes and other evidence, he said.

The child is undergoing medical treatment and counselling. Further investigation is underway, police added.