Minor girl raped inside Delhi school, three held

An eight-year-old girl, a student of Class 2, was allegedly raped inside the premises of a municipal school here. Three people were detained for questioning while a protest by irate residents turned violent Friday, police said.

The attack took place Thursday afternoon at the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC)-run school in Mangolpuri area when the child went there to eat her midday meal.

"The victim's parents came to know about the rape after she was found bleeding," a police official said.

The girl was taken to the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital where medical examination confirmed rape.

"A case has been registered and school authorities are being questioned," the official added.

In her statement to police, the girl said the attacker was not known to her. The three people detained include two teachers of the school and a watchman.

Demanding swift action against culprits, residents of Mangolpuri staged a three-hour demonstration outside the local police station Friday morning, leading to traffic chaos in the area. Police had to use batons to disperse the crowds.

The situation turned violent again Friday afternoon when the residents again collected outside Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where the girl was examined, and started pelting stones, damaging three low-floor Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses and some police vehicles. 

No one was injured in the protest, said the officer. 

Hospital officials said the girl was alright and has  been sent home after the examination.

However, a police contingent is still in the area.

"The whole area near to the MCD school in Mangolpuri and the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital has been cordoned off. Around 500 policemen have been deployed in the area to control the mob," said the officer.   

According to the officer, some NGO activists also arrived at the spot and protested along with the locals.

The NDMC has begun an inquiry into the incident.

"We have initiated an inquiry and sent an officer to the spot to collect a report of the incident," Additional Commissioner Deepak Asthir told IANS.