Minor girl sexually assaulted; mob ransacks hospital

A six-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a man in outer Delhi on Tuesday and when she was taken to a hospital, doctors referred her to another one saying emergency services were closed, following which an irate crowd ransacked the facility, doctors claimed.

A senior police official said a man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting her.

The incident came to light after a passerby claimed that he saw the girl being 'inappropriately touched' by the man in his 40s. She was playing in her locality when he approached her, they said.

The victim's parents approached the Bawana police station and reported about the incident, police said.

A video, purportedly of the hospital, shows a group of people engaging in an altercation with security staff and later ransacking the facility, causing damage to furniture and other objects.

According to Rajiv Sagar, the medial superintendent of Maharshi Valmiki Hospital in Kingsway Camp area, the altercation among the villagers and security and medical staff of the hospital broke out around 6 pm.

"A man was first brought to our hospital with multiple injuries, and he was being attended to.

"After some time, a six-year-old girl, a victim of sexual assault, was then brought to our facility. We did everything as per protocol to get her examined, and she was sent to the labour room," he said.

"However, some more detailed tests were needed to conduct her medical examination. But, after 4 pm our emergency services are closed, we referred the patient to a Dr BSA Hospital, about 8-10 km from here, after which the crowd went berserk and ransacked the furniture and other properties.

"Our staff also ran to escape the angry mob of villagers," he claimed.

The medical superintendent also claimed that some people in the mob tried to beat the man.

Sagar said a call to police was made and a senior official was also informed about the incident.

"We will file a formal complaint tomorrow," he said.

A case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, a senior police officer said.

A medical examination of the victim has been done. The report will confirm if the minor was raped or not, Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer north) Gaurav Sharma said.

The accused has been arrested, police said, adding that they are trying to establish the sequence of events.

It was not immediately known if the man arrested was the one who was brought to the hospital or someone else.