Man held for ‘molesting’ 11-year-old

A shopkeeper has been arrested for allegedly molesting an 11-year-old girl in southeast Delhi’s Dakshinpuri area on Monday evening.

Talking about the incident, police said a local resident, who had spotted the accused taking the girl to a secluded spot, started recording this on his phone.  The video of the accused was then circulated in the area after which locals nabbed him and called up the police.

The incident took place when the girl had gone to the shop to buy groceries. Meanwhile, the accused Ram Kishan, 67-years-old, alleged his neighbour had circulated the video to frame him, as he was having a property dispute with him.

DCP (Southeast) Romil Baaniya said that the accused has been booked under section 354 of the IPC (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The neighbour has also been arrested and booked under section 67 of the IT Act.

The mobile phone used to record the incident has been seized and the child has been sent for a medical examination. “As mentioned by the victim, when she had gone to the shop on Monday evening the shop owner started touching her inappropriately. When the store grew crowded, he took her to a nearby spot but was spotted by another local who turned his eyes on him,” said a senior police officer.