10-year-old girl shot at by snatchers in New Delhi

New Delhi: A 10-year-old girl was injured when two motorbike-borne criminals, who tried to snatch a bag from her while she was travelling in an autorickshaw with her relatives, allegedly shot at her near Anand Vihar ISBT in east Delhi, police said on Monday.

The accused, suspected to be inter-state robbers from Jhinjhana or Pasonda who have often targeted travellers around ISBT area, are yet to be identified by the police.

"The case was reported around 5 PM yesterday, after which the girl was rushed to a hospital and investigation was taken up immediately," said DCP (East) B S Gurjar.

"A bullet grazed past the little finger on the left foot of the victim, whose condition is reported to be stable," Gurjar added.

Police sources said that local intelligence have so far indicated towards the involvement of inter-state gangs who usually leave the city through the porous borders after they commit crime. Trigger happy robbery gangs from Jhinjhana and Pasonda both in western Uttar Pradesh so far top the list of suspects.

They usually arrive in the city at dawn, in two-wheelers, and disappear by the time it is dark.

According to the police, the girl, identified as Moni, was in an autorickshaw with her mother and brother heading towards Anand Vihar ISBT to catch a bus for their native village in Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh. In Delhi, the family lives at Sheikh Sarai from where they had hired the autorickshaw.

Once they reached the secluded stretch near the Patparganj Industrial Area, a motorbike came too close to their autorickshaw and suddenly the pillion rider got hold of a bag, which the family was carrying.

When the family resisted, the accused pulled out a gun and opened fire. The bullet grazed past the little finger on the girl's left foot. Meanwhile, the duo fled the spot, failing to snatch the bag.

A police team rushed to the spot immediately and the girl was rushed to a hospital.

The police have questioned the auto-rickshaw driver and other witnesses present at spot but they are yet to identify the accused, said the police officer.

No CCTV footage could be obtained so far as the incident took place at a secluded stretch, suspected to have been chosen by the accused strategically. Investigation is underway, the officer added.