Delhi Police arrested three men accused of impersonating police officers and gang-raping a teenager at Astha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Temple on September 21. The case has raised concerns over park security, damaged boundaries, unmanned gates and poor lighting.
Delhi Police have arrested three men for allegedly impersonating police officers and gang-raping a 17-year-old girl in Aastha Kunj Park, near Kalkaji Temple. The incident, along with a police encounter near the campus while apprehending one of the suspects prompted Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College to suspend physical classes and switch to online learning amid heightened safety concerns in the area.
The girl visited Kalkaji Mandir with a 17 year old friend around 7 pm, then sat in the nearby park around 7:30 pm. The 3 accused aged 25 to 30 approached them and claimed to be policemen. According to her statement, the men separated her from her friend and took her to a secluded area. Authorities stated that one of the accused threatened her with a firearm and knife before assaulting her. Police received a distress call at about 8:45 pm, and Amar Colony officers found the girl with her friend. Doctors examined her at AIIMS while police reviewed CCTV footage.
Read more about the case here.
Police arrested one of the accused after an encounter in Amar Colony. He allegedly fired at officers, and a bullet struck a constable's protective vest. Police returned fire, hit his leg, and took him to the AIIMS Trauma Centre. The arrest of the other two accused followed. Officers registered an FIR under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act. Sections 6 and 17 of POCSO appear in the FIR.
Read more about the investigations here.
The case has also put park safety under scrutiny. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) manages the 140-acre park, which has 29 entry points. Joint CP Vijay Kumar acknowledged that damaged boundary walls, unmanned gates and poor lighting make parts of it hard to secure.
The alleged crime fits a wider pattern. The NCRB's Crime in India 2024 report recorded 29,536 rape cases nationwide, over 80 a day.
(In case of any such emergency situations please dial at 112, 1091 for the women's helpline, or 1098 for Childline.)
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