Neighbour, 55, arrested for raping 5-year-old girl

New Delhi: A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 55-year-old man in Southeast Delhi’s Taimoor Nagar area on Monday afternoon.

The police said the accused has been identified as Mukhtar Sheikh, a resident of West Bengal. He was working as a security guard in New Friends Colony.

The incident took place at around 2 pm in the slum locality when Sheikh took the girl to her home on the pretext of giving her chocolates. The police said the accused and the girl’s parents are neighbours.

The victim’s mother was busy with domestic chores, while the girl was playing outside. Shiekh quietly took the girl to his house as his family members were not there.

He later let her off and on reaching home, the victim was not able to speak to her parents. The police said that her parents noticed a change in her behaviour. She was frightened but later narrated her ordeal to her parents.

Neighbours also came to know about the incident and Sheikh was beaten up by them. However, the police team reached the spot and rescued him.

The accused was arrested from the spot and a case of rape was registered against him. The police also recorded the girl’s statement and she was sent for medical examination. The police said a case of rape was registered at New Friends Colony police station. During questioning, he confessed to the crime after which they produced him in the court where he was granted judicial custody. Sheikh has two children aged 18 and 21. He has been living near to the girl’s family for the last three years.