Girl found dead inside suitcase in northeast Delhi; family alleges sexual assault, stages protest

New Delhi: A nine-year-old girl was found stuffed in a suitcase at a neighbour's house in northeast Delhi's Dayalpur area, triggering protests by family members and locals who alleged sexual assault and murder of the minor.

Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in the area on Sunday to maintain law and order.

Police sources said the perpetrator seems to have fled after stuffing her in a suitcase. Senior officials of the Delhi Police said all angles are being probed, including sexual assault.

"We are awaiting the autopsy report to confirm the cause of death. Teams have been formed to nab the absconding accused. We are taking this matter with utmost seriousness," a police officer said.

The child, a resident of Nehru Vihar, had gone to give ice to a relative living nearby around 7 pm, her family said.

When she did not return home for a long time, her parents began searching for her. According to the victim's father, they approached several relatives and neighbours, but no one had seen her after her brief visit to one relative's house.

"She had only gone to deliver some ice to our relatives. They said she stayed for five minutes and left. But she never came back. We looked everywhere. Finally, someone told us she was seen entering a house nearby. That's where we found her in a suitcase," he said.

The girl's father alleged that when he reached the house, it was locked. Suspecting something was wrong, he broke the lock and entered the room.

Inside, he found his daughter stuffed in a bloodstained suitcase. They rushed her to a local clinic, but the doctor asked them to take her to a hospital immediately. At Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital in Shastri Park, doctors declared her brought dead, the father said.

A PCR call reporting the incident was received at Dayalpur police station around 8.41 pm, police said.

A police team was immediately dispatched to Gali No. 2, Nehru Vihar, where they learned that the girl had already been taken to Jag Pravesh Chandra (JPC) Hospital by her father, a senior police officer said.

Hospital authorities informed the police that the girl was declared dead.

"Prima facie, doctors observed visible injuries on her face and have indicated possible sexual assault," a senior police officer said.

Following the incident, crime scene and forensic science laboratory (FSL) teams were called to inspect the spot and collect evidence. Police said they are working to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.

A case has been registered at Dayalpur Police Station under relevant sections of the BNS, along with Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

"Multiple teams have been deployed to collect clues and trace the accused. The investigation is being done on priority," the officer added.

The incident sparked massive outrage in the neighbourhood. Soon after news of the girl's death spread, hundreds of residents, including the girl's relatives, blocked a nearby road and sat on dharna demanding justice.

The protestors raised slogans against the police, alleging negligence, and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprit.

Several shopkeepers were forced to shut down their establishments due to the tension in the area. Many of them said they were afraid of violence and chose to shut down shutters after protesters began marching through the market lanes.

With the situation getting tense, a heavy police force was deployed in Nehru Vihar and adjoining areas to maintain law and order. Later, paramilitary personnel were also called in as a precautionary measure.

Senior police officers were seen trying to pacify the crowd and reassure the family that strict action would be taken in the case.

Traffic movement in the Dayalpur area was severely affected, with commuters stuck for hours. Vehicles were seen taking alternate routes, and several emergency services faced delays due to the road blockade.

The victim's mother was seen inconsolable and in a state of deep shock. "She was crying and screaming 'bring back my daughter...'," a neighbour said, holding back tears.

The victim's father said he was devastated and demanded justice. "We got to know about what happened very late. The police came around 1 am and collected evidence from the house. But the main accused is still roaming free. I will not rest until he is punished," he said.