Two juveniles held for Delhi toddler's rape

Two juveniles were arrested on Sunday in connection with the gang-rape of a toddler in west Delhi's Nangloi area, a senior police official said.

The two-and-half-year-old child was kidnapped from near her home and raped by two teenagers during a power outage in the area on Friday night. She was found at a nearby Talab Wala park early Saturday.

Both the accused, aged around 17, live in the same neighbourhood and are known to the girl's family, police said.

The juveniles and the victim were present at a Ramlila function in the neighbourhood on Friday night, police said.

"Eighteen teams were formed and around 250 locals questioned throughout the night in the case, after which police zeroed in on a few suspects. Later, the two juveniles were apprehended," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Pushpendra Kumar.

A case under Section 363 (punishment for kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was registered on Saturday.

The two juveniles, however, did not turn out to be the ones whose image was captured on a close circuit television footage, which was repeatedly flashed by several TV news channels. In the footage, two people riding a motorcycle were seen carrying along a girl child.

The two men turned out to be locals, who were accompanied by daughter of one of them. They were not related to the crime, police said.

It was yet to be verified whether only one of the detained juveniles raped the girl or both committed the crime, Kumar added. "Though investigation is still underway, they (accused) admitted to the crime during sustained interrogation."

"All evidence has been collected and the two juveniles will be charge-sheeted within 10 days," Joint Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak told IANS.

"The girl is doing fine and will be discharged from Sanjay Gandhi hospital in Mangolpuri within 24 hours," Pathak said.