A 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three men posing as police officers inside Aastha Kunj park near the Kalkaji Temple in south Delhi, according to Delhi Police officials. The incident occurred on Monday evening, hours after the survivor turned 17.
Arrests and Police Investigation
Delhi Police arrested all three suspects within hours of the complaint being lodged, according to deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Vineet Kumar. The accused were identified as Asif, 25, who works at the Okhla vegetable market, and brothers Mukesh Singh, 24, and Hemant Singh, 31, who reside in Sriniwaspuri. According to police statements, Asif was apprehended around 6:00 AM on Tuesday following a brief exchange of fire near the district magistrate’s office in Amar Colony, while Mukesh and Hemant were taken into custody from their home around 7:00 AM.
Investigators stated that Asif carried an unlicensed pistol.
Sequence of Events at Aastha Kunj Park
According to police accounts provided to NDTV and the Hindustan Times, the survivor, a resident of Faridabad, and her 17-year-old male friend, a resident of south Delhi, traveled to the Kalkaji Temple around 7:00 PM on Monday to celebrate her birthday. After offering prayers, the pair entered the adjacent Aastha Kunj park—managed by the Delhi Development Authority—at approximately 7:30 PM.
While seated on a bench, the teenagers were approached by the three suspects posing as police personnel. The men used legal language to threaten the minors, claiming they would inform their parents and call a police control room (PCR) van, according to joint commissioner of police (south) Vijay Kumar. The suspects then separated the victims, taking the male friend to a corner where he was slapped and held by one assailant, while Asif and the other two men took the girl to a secluded area. The survivor reported that Asif threatened her with a firearm and a knife before the three men took turns assaulting her. The suspects fled the scene after issuing threats to the victims.
Security Gaps and Public Safety Concerns
A PCR call regarding the assault was received at 8:45 PM on Monday, prompting local police officers to arrive at the scene and transport the survivor for a medical examination, according to NDTV reports. The incident has drawn renewed scrutiny to public safety and infrastructure deficiencies in the capital’s parks and public spaces, highlighting issues such as inadequate lighting, unpatrolled grounds, and missing security guards.
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