Two gang-raped minor, second accused held: Police (Third Lead)

New Delhi/Patna, April 22 (IANS) The five-year-old girl was gang-raped by two men, her neighbour and a 19-year-old who has been arrested from Bihar's Lakhisarai district and is being brought to Delhi, police said Monday.

"We have filed a case of gang-rape against the two. The second acccused in the case has admitted to the crime," Deputy Commissioner of Police Prabhakar told IANS.

The two accused have been booked under 376-D of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) relating to gang-rape, Prabhakar said.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said they have arrested the second accused, identified as Pradeep Ram, 19, from Bihar. He is in judicial custody till May 4.

Police had earlier arrested Manoj Kumar, 22, on April 20 from Bihar's Muzaffarpur. He was hiding in his in-law's house.

Pradeep's involvement came to light after Manoj told police during questioning that the two of them were involved in the brutal rape of the girl.

The girl had gone missing April 15 and was recovered from Kumar's room April 17 in east Delhi's Gandhi Nagar.

The girl is undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and is said to be in a stable condition. Doctors earlier had removed a bottle and pieces of candle from her private parts.

Pradeep Ram was hiding in his uncle's house in Badhaiya area, Bihar Director General of Police Abhayanand said in Patna.

"Pradeep was presented in the court of the chief judicial magistrate in Lakhisarai and the court granted a three-day transit remand (of Pradeep) to the Delhi Police," Lakhisarai Superintendent of Police Rajeev Mishra said.

Delhi Police officers said the two accused had met during a train journey.

"Manoj said he met Pradeep on a train. The two were casual labourers who would often meet for a drink," a police official told IANS.

Police said Manoj had admitted that on the day of the incident the two had been drinking, and struck up the idea of finding a girl. When they came out of their room, they saw the five-year-old playing outside. Manoj said he lured the girl with chocolate, but blamed Pradeep for the rape.

"We will interrogate Pradeep to learn if what Manoj said is true," the police officer said.