Another Nirbhaya-like incident: 16-year-old gang-raped in Delhi park; friend assaulted
In a horrifying incident, a 16-year-old girl has been brutally gang-raped by three men in a park in Delhi's Shalimar Bagh. The rapists assaulted and robbed the victim's male friend. Delhi Police is yet to identify the men. This took place on 16 December, exactly five years after the Nirbhaya gang-rape incident, also in which a 23-year-old was gang-raped, and her friend was assaulted.
The victim, who was a domestic help, went to Shalimar Bagh's Beri Wala park with her friend aged 18-19 years on 16 December. At around 6:30pm, three men approached and allegedly taunted them; her friend protested, but the men snatched his mobile phone and assaulted him. Police said the men then took turns to rape the girl; she didn't know any of the accused.
The unidentified rapists allegedly threatened the couple not to inform the police about the incident. The girl, however, narrated the incident to her parents after reaching home. They filed a complaint at the Shalimar Bagh police station at around 11:30pm.
Shalimar Bagh police registered a case under IPC Sections 376 D (gang-rape), 363 (abduction), and 323 (causing hurt) along with sections under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Police have formed teams to find the suspects. Investigators said the rapists took advantage of the park's dense bushes and poor lighting. They suspect the accused are local criminals or drug addicts.
Delhi Police spokesperson, Madhur Verma, said medical tests confirmed the girl's rape. He added: "She was admitted to the hospital briefly and was treated for her injuries she had sustained during the assault. She was provided counseling, and her statement was recorded."
