Brother-in-law rapes minor, police suspect trafficking racket

A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her brother-in-law in north Delhi’s Majnu Ka Tila on Thursday.

The accused and his wife are suspected to be involved in human trafficking, but that would be confirmed only after they are nabbed and interrogated, senior police officers said.

The girl, a resident of West Bengal, managed to escape from the Majnu Ka Tila house on Friday. She narrated her story to some people in the nearby market.

An NGO was contacted and a police complaint was subsequently lodged. But the accused and his wife had escaped by the time police raided their rented accommodation.

The victim’s cousin sister, who is the wife of accused Sandeep, is also suspected to be hand-in-glove with him in the incident.

“Going by the victim’s statement, it appears that Sandeep’s wife was aware of what was happening. It is also likely she was a part of the suspected trafficking racket,” a senior police officer told Deccan Herald.

The victim had been brought to Delhi by Sandeep about a week ago on the pretext of getting her a job as a maid.

On Thursday evening, while his wife was away from home, Sandeep allegedly insisted that the victim establish physical relations with her. When she refused to obey him, he raped her.

The girl’s cousin sister arrived later that night, but she too allegedly sided with her husband on learning about the incident.

The girl also overheard the couple talking about selling her. It was then that she dared to escape the next afternoon while Sandeep was away and his wife was busy with household chores.

Medical examination

Police said they have sent the victim for a medical examination, which confirmed she was raped. A case under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered with Civil Lines police station. The girl is being counselled by an NGO.

According to police, they have started investigation and are trying to find the whereabouts of the absconding accused.