Tension in Delhi’s Peeragarhi after neighbour rapes 3-year-old

After the girl’s father raised allegations that the suspect was from a different community, police increased deployment in the area

A three-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 27-year-old neighbour in west Delhi’s Peeragarhi on Thursday morning, police officers aware of the matter said, adding that the suspect was arrested late on Thursday evening.

The suspect is a next-door neighbour and lives with his brother and sister-in-law in the house, while his wife and children live in their native village. (Rerpesentational image)

After the girl’s father raised allegations that the suspect was from a different community, the district police increased deployment in the area to avoid any communal tension. However, the police said that they have found no such communal angle during the probe so far, they added.

Deputy commissioner of police (outer) Jimmy Chiram said that their control room received a call regarding the minor’s rape in Peeragarhi village around noon. “Immediately, a police team reached the location. The minor girl was shifted to the Sanjay Gandhi hospital,” he said.

The girl’s father, a 30-year-old rickshaw puller, said that he left for work around 9 am and his wife, an infant daughter and the victim were at home. The suspect is a next-door neighbour and lives with his brother and sister-in-law in the house, while his wife and children live in their native village. “My wife gave birth to our younger daughter just 15 days ago. She was resting when our elder daughter went outside the house. The suspect lured her on the pretext of giving her chocolates. He took her to the room where he raped her,” the father said.

“My daughter came back home crying and was bleeding heavily. She somehow managed to tell us that the neighbour raped her,” the father added.

Police registered a case under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. “During probe, CCTV footage from the area was obtained and call detail record was also analysed. Searches were conducted in over 30 locations by various teams. Finally, the suspect was arrested after the area was cordoned off,” Chiram said.

The girl was discharged from the hospital late in the evening, police said.

The 36-year-old owner of the factory, where the victim’s father worked, and who did not want to be named, said that the local residents and members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad gathered at the spot and raised slogans, demanding justice for the minor girl, in the morning and also after she returned home in the evening.

“Adequate number of police personnel have been deployed in the area to contain the situation and to maintain law and order,” said a senior police officer who did not want to be named.