In a recent disturbing case, a 9-year-old’s body was found stuffed inside a suitcase at a neighbor's house in the Dayalpur area of northeast Delhi. She was allegedly raped and killed by her neighbor on Saturday evening.

What Happened

According to the family and police reports, the girl, a Class 5 student at a local government school, left home around 7 pm to deliver ice to a nearby relative. When she didn’t come back for a long time, her family began searching for her. They asked relatives, who said she only stayed for five minutes and left. Later, a woman from the neighborhood told them she saw the girl go inside a six-story building to hand over some keys she had found on the road to a man living on the second floor. 

The family and neighbors reached the second-floor flat, where a crowd had gathered. But the door was locked from inside. Then, a man appeared and said, “This is my brother’s house. He’s at the confectioner’s shop. I’ll take you there.” Since the family didn't know the flat's owner, they trusted this man. However, on the way, the man suddenly ran away. Despite their efforts to catch him, luck was not on their side.

When they returned, they forced the door open. Inside, they found a suitcase lying on the floor, which they immediately opened and found her blood-stained body. 

The family rushed her to the hospital in Shastri Park, where she was declared dead on arrival.

Police Investigation

The police were informed and reached the spot around 8:40 pm on Saturday, and they found that the girl had already been taken by her father to the hospital. 

When police spoke to the doctors, they revealed there were visible injuries on her face, and based on first impressions, alleged signs of sexual assault. They also suspect the girl died due to smothering or strangulation, but the exact reason will only be established after the autopsy report comes.

Following this, a case has been registered against the accused under the sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act.

The police have mentioned in reports that the accused is a mini goods vehicle driver, originally from Harpur, UP. The raids are going on to find him.

Outrage by Family

The crime sparked protests in the area, with the girl’s relatives and locals staging a dharna and blocking nearby roads. They raised slogans against the police, accusing them of negligence and demanding the immediate arrest of the accused.

As tensions rose, many shopkeepers shut down their stores—some out of fear of violence, others due to the crowd marching through the market. A heavy police force was deployed at Nehru Vihar to bring the situation under control and maintain law and order.

Senior police officials also met the family and assured them that strict action would be taken. They added that the investigation is being carried out on priority.

Dr. Munish Raizada, MD, FAAP, President of Bharatiya Liberal Party posted on X (social media platform) regarding this gruesome case:

What’s next in the case

The investigation is still ongoing, and police say they’re making every effort to trace and arrest the accused. The girl’s family, meanwhile, continues to demand justice and strict punishment for whoever is responsible.

(Input From Various Sources)

(Rehash/Pooja Bansal/MSM)