On May 6, a 13-year-old girl did not return home after she ventured out to buy some ice cream.
Her father searched for her tirelessly for two months but could not find the girl, till the time one of the kidnappers surrendered at a city court last week.
It was then discovered that the girl is now three weeks pregnant as she was allegedly raped during her captivity. The class 8 student is currently with an NGO.
The girl's father has alleged that his daughter was abducted by a group of 12-15 men who had been living near his home in south east Delhi. “They worked as chefs in different restaurants. All of them fled when the police started investigating my daughter’s kidnapping", he said.
As the girl disappeared, her father embarked on a frantic search for his lost daughter. Reportedly, he would drive the investigators to possible hideouts of the suspects.
However, he finally had to approach the court as he was unable to locate his daughter. “The High Court demanded that my daughter be produced before it in quick time,” the father said, adding that it was the court order that brought his daughter back.
One of the suspects surrendered at Saket Court on July 10 and had brought the girl along with him. Upon medical examination, it was found that the girl is three weeks pregnant. The accused was then arrested and interrogated, post which two of the other accomplices were arrested as well.
A case of rape has now been registered by the Delhi police.
The father has also claimed that he spent close to Rs 45,000 while accompanying the police teams during the search for hs daughter. “The police made me pay for the expenses incurred during the search operations. I paid the money as I was desperate to find my daughter,” he said.
Romil Baniya, DCP (south-east) said he has ordered an inquiry into the father’s claims that he had been forced to spend from his pocket during the raids. “The complainant will be called and his grievances noted,” said the DCP.
