The Delhi Police claimed to have arrested a suspected serial rapist on Tuesday.
He was arrested after he tried to kill a seven-year-old girl, whom he had kidnapped and raped on the terrace of a house in Madhu Vihar, said the police on Wednesday. A senior police officer said the accused confessed to being involved in three other sexual assault cases in east Delhi.
Accused Manish Chaddha, who claimed he was addicted to liquor and online gambling, allegedly preyed on the children after being drunk. He has been on the police radar since he raped a child in Khoda village.
Scooter gives vital clue
The police said an unclaimed scooter recovered near the house where the child was raped helped them locate Manish. He had left the scooter after being chased by locals, who gathered there on hearing the child’s cries for help.
“With the help of the vehicle’s registration number, the suspect was traced to Shakarpur and he was held. The evidence, including CCTV footage and the description supplied by the victim, matched him. He was put under sustained interrogation and confessed to the crime,” said a senior police officer.
Addicted to liquor, drugs
During interrogation, Manish told the police that he was a Class XII dropout and did odd jobs for a living. He usually quit within days due to his addiction to liquor and drugs. He was also addicted to child pornography.
“The accused stayed with his mother, a retired school teacher, in an apartment in Shakarpur,” said the police officer.
The police said the accused confessed to raping a child in December 20 last year in Ghazipur. The girl was found undressed on the road. On January 17, a seven-year-old girl was raped in Ghazipur, said the police.
During investigation, the police found his involvement in three more cases of sexual assault with minor girls — all aged below 10 years. The cases were reported in Kalyanpuri, Ghazipur and Pandav Nagar. He has undergone medical examination and the police are trying to ascertain if he is a paedophile.
“His presence at the crime spots were ascertained with the help of CCTV footage recovered from each spot after the incident was reported. It established his involvement in previous three cases. The police suspect his involvement in more such cases that went unreported,” said a police officer.
Sources said after a series of cases involving minor girls, the East district police was put on high alert regarding movement of a paedophile in the area. The police was on the lookout for Manish, when he struck again at Pandav Nagar. Cases under POCSO Act and molestation were registered based on the child’s statement. Further probe is on.
