A one-year-old child was allegedly sexually assaulted by her 40-year-old neighbour on Friday evening in north-east Delhi’s Jaffarabad, the police said on Saturday.
The accused, Sarvesh, a tea stall owner, has been arrested, said DCP (North-East) Atul Kumar Thakur. The victim and the accused are tenants in the same building, the officer said, adding that the child was alone at the time of the incident.
“He lives on the first floor with his family. The child was at her ground floor residence. Her parents, who are street vendors, were not in the house but close by,” said a senior police officer. The accused entered the victim’s house and on finding her alone, he tried to disrobe her. She started crying because she was unfamiliar with the touch, the police said.
Caught red-handed
“On hearing her cries, the mother ran to look for her and caught the accused red-handed,” the officer added. A PCR call was made at 5.30 p.m. Her mother then called the neighbours after which the accused was beaten up. The police reached the spot and arrested Sarvesh.
Mr. Thakur said that a case under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) of the Indian Penal Code and 8 Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered.
