A 17-year-old girl has provided a detailed account to the police about an alleged gang-rape that occurred in southeast Delhi’s Astha Kunj Park, describing a harrowing experience of being held at knifepoint by three assailants.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the survivor’s initial statement to the authorities is a critical component of the ongoing investigation into the incident, which reportedly took place on the evening of September 21.
According to the victim’s statement, she and her male companion, both 17 years old, had gone to the park after visiting the Kalkaji Mandir. While they were seated on a bench consuming snacks, three men approached them. The assailants allegedly questioned their presence at that late hour and then separated the pair, leading them to different areas of the park.
The distressed girl reportedly pleaded with the men not to separate her and suggested they speak with her mother. However, one of the accused is quoted as saying, “Asif bhai gun nikal,” indicating a threat involving a firearm.
The group of men then allegedly confiscated their mobile phones and guided the girl to an isolated section of the park. It was there, she stated, that the men threatened her with knives. Her statement details that one of the accused, identified as Asif, allegedly removed her clothing and placed her on a red bench, with another accused, Hemu, reportedly standing guard.
“He kept a knife on my neck while raping me. I was crying; I was feeling a lot of pain,” the survivor recounted, describing the ordeal with Asif. She further alleged that Hemu then led her to another bench and sexually assaulted her, also under threat of a knife. The third accused, identified as Deepu, is alleged to have sexually assaulted her subsequently, again while holding a knife to her neck.
The survivor also claimed that Asif used a condom during the assault, while the other two allegedly discharged externally. Following the alleged assault, the assailants returned their clothing, excluding undergarments, and instructed the victims to dress quickly. They allegedly warned the pair of dire consequences, including death, if they reported the incident to anyone.
After the alleged perpetrators left the park with the victims, the girl informed her male friend about the assault. He subsequently contacted the police control room.
A PCR call was registered around 8:45 p.m., and a police team responded, finding the survivor and her friend near Gate No. 7 of Astha Kunj Park. The survivor then guided forensic teams to the location where she reported the assault occurred. Officials stated that the forensic science laboratory and the district mobile crime team examined the site, collecting biological samples and other evidence, including condoms discovered near the alleged crime scene, for forensic analysis and DNA testing.
The investigation has led to multiple arrests in connection with the case. One of the accused, Asif, reportedly sustained injuries during an exchange of fire with police. The incident has also brought to the forefront concerns regarding security measures within the expansive 142-acre Astha Kunj Park. Visitors and vendors have noted issues such as inadequate lighting in certain areas, damaged sections of the boundary wall, and numerous entry points that are difficult to monitor after dark.
The Chenab Times News Desk