A seven-year-old girl is fighting for her life after being brutally raped with a hose pipe before being left for dead.
After carrying out the horrific assault, the rapist handed the child 10 rupees and a piece of chocolate, telling her to keep quiet about the ordeal.
She was left bleeding heavily and needed surgery because of her injuries.
The girl's mum found her clutching her stomach and bleeding in the aftermath of the attack, which happened in a landfill site in New Delhi, India.
A 21-year-old man has been arrested, and calls have been mounted for the attacker to face the death penalty.
He is reported to have confessed to the crime, and his family has disowned him.
The victim's mother - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - told CNN : "She was holding her stomach and she was bleeding.
"When I saw her blood there was no strength left in my body."
After the attack, the man - described as a rag picker - wrapped the hose around the girl's neck, according to her mum.
She called for the rapist to be hanged, stating: "Life imprisonment is too small a punishment."
The girl's aunt told The Indian Express : “The accused dropped her home around 11.30 pm… She had a towel around her waist that did not belong to her. It was given by the accused. She was bleeding profusely.”
Swati Maliwal, who chairs the the Delhi Commission for Women, posted about the attack on Twitter .
She said the girl, who was already malnourished, faces a long struggle, and called for the attacker to face the death penalty.
Ms Maliwal wrote: "Just met with 7 year old rape survivor who was brutally raped in Seemapuri yesterday by a 22 year old man. He took her to a park, inserted water pipe inside her private part & then raped her. Girl is v critical, has bled incessantly & was operated upon. Mom single parent, v poor!"
In a further tweet, she posted: "Cannot describe the pain the little girl was experiencing. Already malnourished, she has a long struggle ahead. We are going to support her in her legal fight to ensure death penalty to her culprits. Will file compensation application & shall make all efforts to rehabilitate her."
Local news reports claim the 21-year-old has confessed and subsequently been denounced by family members.
His mother said: “The girl should get justice… I too have daughters and I can feel the pain.”
The accused's pregnant wife added: “We used to argue over his alcoholism, but I can’t believe he would do this. Police should bring justice to the girl.”
A new law was introduced in April bringing in the death penalty for people who rape young children or take part in gang rape.
In one shocking case this month, police claimed a schoolgirl got pregnant after allegedly being raped by four classmates before school staff tried to abort the baby.
The 16-year-old girl was at a boarding school in Dehradun, India, when she was allegedly attacked by four 17-year-old boys.
They are accused of luring her to a store room to help with preparations for a school event before carrying out the gang-rape.
After reporting the attack to a member of staff, the girl, who has not been named for legal reasons, claimed she was persuaded to keep quiet.
Five school staff members are accused of failing to report the alleged attack which took place on August 14 and attempting to abort the baby by giving the student drinks mixed with drugs.
Additional Director General of Police Ashok Kumar told NDTV: "The school management tried to suppress the case.
"The girl says she reported the case to the ayah [a school nursemaid] the same day, but they tried to dissuade her to report.
"After a month, the crime has come to the knowledge of police."
The school’s director, principal, administration officer, his wife and the hostel caretaker have all been arrested along with four accused.