Man Kidnaped, Raped 4-Year-Old Girl In Delhi; Arrested

Girl was playing outside her house…

New Delhi: A man caught on CCTV footage last week kidnapping a four-year-old girl who he later raped and abandoned near a park in Delhi was arrested late on Monday night, police said.

The accused, identified as Anil Pathak, is being questioned about the incident, while the girl is still fighting for her life in hospital.

The case was filed from Bhalswa Dairy area which is in outer-north Delhi on Wednesday.

Police said Anil Pathak kidnapped the girl, who was the daughter of daily wage labourers, from outside her house where she was playing.

Security camera footage from the area showed the crime.

The victim's parents filed a missing complaint when she didn't return home by night.

She was found near a park in the area early the next morning, officials said, adding that she was immediately rushed to a hospital for a medical examination, where doctors confirmed that she was raped.

Police had formed three teams to trace the child, and her photograph was shared with other police stations as well. Announcements were also made in the area about the girl.

Devesh Kumar Mahla, Deputy Commissioner of Police, outer-north Delhi, said the search continued overnight and the child was found near a park at 7 am on Thursday.

A case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act for rape and abduction of the minor girl.