The incident occurred Wednesday night in the Telibandha police station area. The child, who survives by begging from motorists at the signal along with other minors, was approached around 9:30 p.m. by Naveen Soni (21), a driver with a local travel agency, driving a Swift car.
According to police, Soni offered to buy food for the girl and her friend, convincing them to get into his vehicle. He drove them toward Lalit Mahal on VIP Road, then sent the friend away on the pretext of fetching more food items. Alone with the victim, he allegedly took her further and committed rape.
The girl did not return home for hours, prompting her family to alert the police. Officers from Telibandha station and the Anti-Crime Control Unit (ACCU) launched an immediate search, relying heavily on CCTV footage from the area.
By early Thursday, around 3-4 a.m., investigators tracked and arrested Soni. During questioning, he confessed to the crime, police said. A case has been registered under sections for kidnapping, rape, and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
"The accused has been taken into custody and further investigation is underway," a senior officer at Telibandha police station confirmed. Medical examination of the child has been conducted, and forensic teams visited the scene.
The case comes amid growing concern over child safety in the capital. Just two weeks earlier, in the Civil Lines area, a 65-year-old man, Abdul Sajjad Ansari, was arrested for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl from his neighbourhood repeatedly over five days. He lured her with chocolates and threatened her against telling anyone.
In that instance, the child revealed the assaults only after suffering severe pain, leading her family to file a complaint on January 12. Ansari was remanded to judicial custody following court appearance.
Authorities have not commented on any broader measures to protect vulnerable children at traffic signals or public spots, though such incidents highlight risks faced by street-dependent minors.
Police appealed for public vigilance and said they are examining additional CCTV angles and witness accounts to ensure no loose ends remain in the current probe.
