A 25-year-old man attempted to molest a five-year-old who was playing outside her house at Uttam Nagar in West Delhi on Tuesday evening. The mother of the victim was able to rescue her just in time and call up the other residents of area who then handed over the man to the police.
The accused was arrested from the spot and booked for molestation, the police said.
According to the police, they got a call around 7-30 p.m. from some residents of the area saying that they had managed to nab a person who attempted to molest a minor girl. A PCR van, which was patrolling the area, rushed to the spot and detained the accused.
According to a senior police officer, the accused – identified as Anand Sharma – attacked the minor when she was playing in the parking compound right outside her house. “The accused is a daily labourer and was passing by the area when he noticed the girl playing,” said the officer.
When Anand tried to molest the girl, she began screaming. The victim’s mother, who was working in the kitchen at that moment, heard her cries. When she looked out of the window, she saw the stranger grabbing her daughter.
“The mother rushed towards her daughter. She also screamed out for help as a result of which many neighbours rushed to the spot,” added the officer. The accused was thrashed by the locals first and then handed over to the police.
“We counselled the minor girl, who was panic stricken. Once she regained her composure, she told the police that the accused had tried to touch her forcibly,” the officer said.
A case was registered against the accused at the Uttam Nagar police station. “The accused has been booked under Section 354 IPC (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and other sections of The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012,” the officer said.
