13-year-old girl abducted by man she met online from Delhi; raped multiple times in Punjab, Chandigarh and UP, rescued

IANS

New Delhi, August 24

A 13-year-old girl, who was kidnapped from the national capital and taken to Punjab, Chandigarh, and Uttar Pradesh where she was raped multiple times by her abductor, has been rescued, a DCW official said on Thursday.

The matter came to light after the girl's mother approached the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) and submitted a complaint regarding the kidnapping of her daughter.

“On July 21, in the Fatehpur Beri area of Delhi, a mother reported her daughter's abduction from near her school. Following this, an FIR was lodged at the Fatehpur Beri police station” said the DCW official.

After passage of several days, the mother expressed her frustration to DCW Member Firdos Khan on August 18, stating that no progress had been made on her complaint and her daughter remained missing.

“The mother was emotionally distressed and physically drained from daily visits to police stations, yielding no information about her daughter's whereabouts. Responding promptly, the DCW Member issued a notice to the SHO of Fatehpur Beri on August 18, urging immediate action,” said the official.

The official said that a phone call was also made to the SHO to demand swift measures.

Subsequently, Delhi police traced the girl to Lakhimpur Khiri in Uttar Pradesh. “A Delhi Police team promptly rescued and brought her back to Delhi on August 19, following the Commission's intervention,” said the DCW official.

The girl narrated that she was abducted by a man in his thirties whom she had met online. She revealed that the abductor took her to various places in Punjab, Chandigarh, and Uttar Pradesh, where he kept her at the residences of his relatives.

Tragically, she shared that the abductor subjected her to multiple instances of rape. The primary suspect has been apprehended.

“The Commission received a complaint of kidnapping. Our team took up the matter with Delhi Police and ensured prompt action in the matter within 24 hours of receiving the complaint. The girl has been rescued and united with her family. Our team is constantly in touch with the girl and her family and we will work towards her proper rehabilitation. We have issued notice to the Police again as we want that all the accused persons involved in the matter should be arrested and strict action should be taken against them,” said DCW chief Swati Maliwal.