13-year-old girl dies by suicide after rape

A 13-year-old girl was found hanging from a fan at her house in Modinagar on Wednesday, two days after she was allegedly raped by a 23-yearold man she met online, police officers said on Thursday, adding that it appeared to be a death by suicide.

The girl was in touch with the suspect, identified as Himanshu Soni, a resident of Modinagar, for the past week. Police said the incident took place on June 17 and that the accused was arrested.

“The suspect met the girl online and was chatting with her for the past week. On June 17 (Monday), he picked her up from near her house on their first meeting. He took her on his bike to a hotel in Modinagar and raped her there before dropping her back. The hotel owner is an acquaintance of the suspect and did not bother to ask him for identification,” a police officer investigating the case said.

On June 18, the girl confided in her parents, who questioned her about changes in her behaviour and some marks on her body, police said.

After learning about the rape, the family filed an FIR against the suspect under sections 363, 376(3) and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the POCSO Act.

Based on the FIR, the accused was arrested on Wednesday. The girl was sent for a medical examination and returned home with her family around 4.30pm. “Around 7pm, the family found the girl hanging. They rushed her to hospital, where she was declared dead,” Vivek Chandra Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (rural), Ghaziabad, said.

“We will add IPC section 306 against the suspect and have also slapped provisions of POCSO against the hotel operator, who has been called for questioning.”