Indian girl, 5, ‘critical’ after brutal rape

A five-year-old Indian girl was battling for her life after being kidnapped and brutally raped in the latest incident of sexual violence which has triggered nationwide protests.

The girl was attacked inside a locked room over a 48-hour period, police said, after being abducted as she played outside in a lower-middle class area of the capital New Delhi.

“We initially registered a case of kidnapping. We have now launched a preliminary inquiry into rape and attempted murder,” Rajan Bhagat said, adding a hunt was on to catch a family neighbour who is the main accused.