COVID-19 positive girl sexually assaulted, filmed by another patient

Photo used for representational purposes

In a shocking incident, a 14-year-old girl, undergoing treatment at a Covid Care Centre in south Delhi's Chhattarpur, has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by another coronavirus patient in the washroom, police said on Thursday. Two accused have been arrested.

According to the police, the incident is said to have taken place on the night of July 15, when the girl had gone to the washroom. The 19-year-old man, who allegedly sexually assaulted her, was arrested along with one of his associates, the police said.

"We have arrested both the accused under relevant sections of law, including POCSO, and both have been sent to judicial custody," said a senior police officer.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is the nodal agency operating the centre, which also serves as a centre for those who are asymptomatic but cannot afford home isolation.

According to the police, the girl and the accused, who lived in a slum cluster here, were admitted at the centre, along with their relatives. The girl narrated her ordeal to one of her relatives, who is also undergoing treatment at the centre. The matter was then reported to an ITBP official, who informed the police, an official at the centre said.

According to the police, in her complaint, the girl also accused the man's associate of capturing the act of sexual assault on a mobile phone. The police said the associate, also aged 19 years, might not have sexually assaulted the girl and they are verifying the claims of the girl.

Based on her complaint, a case was registered against the two men under section 376 (punishment for sexual assault) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, a senior police officer said.

After the incident, the two accused, who are currently under judicial custody, were sent to another centre, and the victim was also shifted to another Covid care centre, the officer said.

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