A nine-year old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by her neighbour in South East Delhi’s Sarita Vihar on Monday evening. It was another neighbour who caught the accused red-handed and informed the family of the girl, said the police.
The accused, identified as Zafar (26), had lured her towards isolated railway tracks on the pretext of giving her chocolates and then tried to assault her.
The girl’s family has purportedly told the police that her father was beaten up by the accused when he went to his house to meet his family members and raise the issue, said the police. A police officer said the girl lives with her family in Aali village near Sarita Vihar.
Caught red handed
On Monday evening, she was playing outside her house when Zafar approached her and promised to give her chocolates. He allegedly gave her a ten rupee note and lured her to an isolated place near the railway tracks. Zafar allegedly removed her clothes and began sexually assaulting her. “She resisted his bid and started crying. 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 adding that the passerby turned out to be a neighbour.
Once reunited with the family, the victim informed her parents about the matter. At this, her father went to Zafar’s house to inform his family. The man found Zafar at home but when asked about his attempt, Zafar turned aggressive and allegedly assaulted him.
“The girl’s family then approached the police and filed a case against Zafar. Accordingly, a case was registered and Zafar was arrested,” said the officer adding they also recorded the neighbour’s statement who had seen him sexually assaulting the girl.
Case registered
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East) Mandeep Singh Randhawa said a case under relevant sections of the protection of children from sexual offences (POCSO) Act and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code was registered against Zafar at the Sarita Vihar police station, based on a complaint filed by the girl’s family.
Zafar works as a daily-wage labourer. On Tuesday, he was produced before a city court that sent him to Tihar jail for 14 days.
He allegedly gave her a ten rupee note and lured her to a place near the railway tracks
