Arvind Kejriwal meets Delhi rape victim at AIIMS, raises statehood issue

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New Delhi: In a shocking incident, a 13-year-old girl was brutally raped and dumped near a railway track in South-east Delhi's Pul Prahladpur area allegedly by a teenager who lives in her neighbourhood.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met the victim's family today and assured that he would meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss law and order situation prevailing in the national capital.

"Delhi is not a full state as a result of which such problems are coming up repeatedly. Every crime incident reminds that somehow law and order should be under democratic control so that the law enforcement agencies and public could work together," he said.

"I have sought an appointment to meet Rajnath Singh. Full statehood will take time but even in the existing system we can function together so that such incidents could be stopped."

"If there is greater democratic control over the agencies at local level and public is taken along, a solution could be found for this," he said.

The Chief Minister also assured all possible help of Delhi government to the family members of the girl.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to the Pul Prahladpur police station seeking to know why it did not inform the DCW about the rape of the 13-year-old girl.

The minor girl -- who is an orphan and mentally challenged -- is admitted in AIIMS and her condition is stated to be stable now.

The accused, whose age is being verified, was apprehended on Wednesday, as per Joint Commissioner of Police (Southeast) RP Upadhyay.

The victim lives with her maternal aunt at a village near Pul Prahladpur. She went missing on May 17, and a search operation was conducted but she could not be found. In the wee hours of May 18, locals spotted the girl lying unconscious near the railway track and raised an alarm, a senior police official said.

She was then rushed to AIIMS where doctors confirmed the sexual assault and a case was registered under relevant IPC sections and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

It took the police around a week to identify the accused as the girl is not in a condition to give a statement. The locals were questioned and it emerged that the girl was last seen with the teenager, who is a vagabond, the official said.

On Wednesday, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal met the girl at AIIMS and said: "The girl has been brutally raped and we are suspecting it to be a case of gang-rape. She is mentally challenged. She has severe injuries on her body. She has undergone a major surgery and according to doctors it will take her at least four months to recover. Her condition as of now is critical.”

(With PTI inputs)