Ghaziabad Man Arrested for Heinous Crime Against Minor Girl at Construction Site
In a shocking incident in Ghaziabad, a 22-year-old man has been apprehended by police for allegedly abducting a seven-year-old girl as she slept beside her family at an under-construction site in Indirapuram. The accused, identified as Alfajuddin, also known as Bhalu, is accused of raping the child, returning her to the same spot, and then fleeing after stealing cash and a mobile phone.
Details of the Crime and Police Investigation
According to authorities, the crime occurred between 1 am and 2 am on April 16. The girl's father, who works as a guard at the construction site, had been living there with his family for the past two months. Police reported that Alfajuddin, who hails from Farrukhabad and was residing in a nearby slum in Indirapuram, was hiding in a park before entering the family's shanty.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Abhishek Srivastava stated that the accused lifted the sleeping child and took her to the park, where he assaulted her and threatened her into silence when she cried out. After the assault, he brought her back to the jhuggi. Shockingly, Alfajuddin then remained at the site, ransacked the shelter, and stole Rs 11,000 in cash along with the mother's mobile phone, which was left charging.
CCTV Footage and Arrest of the Accused
Police utilized CCTV footage from the vicinity to track down the suspect. The footage reportedly shows Alfajuddin entering the shanty, later carrying the girl on his shoulder across the road, returning with her approximately half an hour later, and finally fleeing after spending some time in the slum.
In the early hours of Sunday, near Green Belt road, Alfajuddin was arrested after allegedly attempting to evade a police patrol and firing at officers with a country-made pistol. Police responded in self-defence, injuring him in both legs. Authorities recovered a pistol, two empty cartridges, one live cartridge, and the stolen cash from him. The mobile phone was allegedly sold to an unidentified passerby and remains untraced, while Rs 10,000 of the stolen money was recovered.
Legal Charges and Ongoing Proceedings
An FIR has been registered at the Indirapuram police station under Section 74 (rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. Police have indicated that theft charges are being added to the case as the investigation continues.
This incident highlights grave concerns over child safety in vulnerable living conditions, with law enforcement emphasizing the use of technology like CCTV in solving such crimes swiftly.
