Delhi: The national capital, which is expected to lead by example when it comes to checking crimes in the country, has witnessed at least five incidents of rape this week alone, putting a big question mark on the administration's ability to tackle such heinous crimes against women.
On December 11, at least three cases of rape in different parts of the city have come to light. Three minor girls were allegedly raped by their family members, two of them by their fathers, police said.
Minor raped by father in Northwest Delhi:
In the first incident, a seven-year-old girl was allegedly raped over a period of time by her father in northwest Delhi’s Bhalswa Dairy area.
The incident came to light on Saturday when the girl complained about stomach ace and a medical examination revealed that she was subjected to repeated sexual assault, police said.
Later she narrated her ordeal to her mother, following which she approached the police and the 40-year-old accused was arrested. The girl was later counselled by an NGO, police added.
Girl raped by father in Paharganj hotel:
In the second case, a 12-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her father at a hotel in Delhi’s Paharganj area. The family had come from Bihar and had rented a hotel room, in which the man allegedly raped his daughter on Saturday when his wife was away, police said.
The accused lured the girl with gifts and promised to buy her things if she agreed to keep mum about the episode. However, the girl narrated her ordeal to her mother when she returned.
The woman approached the police, following which the man was arrested.
Girl raped by uncle:
In another incident, a 12-year-old girl was allegedly raped over a period of time by her uncle. The incident came to light lwhen the girl complained about unbearable pain in her lower abdomen. When she was taken to a hospital, it emerged that she was sexually assaulted, police said.
She broke down during counselling and said that she was repeatedly sexually assaulted over the past few months by her uncle. The accused also threatened her of dire consequences if she disclosed things to anyone, police said. The 26-year-old accused was arrested immediately.
The girl had to undergo a surgery and is being counselled to bring her out of the trauma.
Minor gang-raped by neighbours:
In another incident on December 12, a minor girl was gang-raped by three men in South Delhi's Tigri area. The girl was admittted to AIIMS following the attack in a park.
The victim is a 7-year-old girl.
Of the three accused, one person was arrested. The arrested accused is juvenile.
Girl abducted, gang-raped by 6 youths
A 14-year-old girl was abducted and gang-raped by six youths while on her way to school on Thursday morning. The girl was dragged inside a car near her home and allegedly gang-raped near Dichaon village of southwest Delhi.
The girl was taken to a secluded area where the accused took turns to rape her inside the vehicle. The incident was witnessed by a passerby, who informed cops.
Police have nabbed five of the six accused.
New Delhi, known as the country’s rape capital, had 1,441 rape cases in 2013 and 1,813 rapes in 2014. Additionally, 309,546 cases of crime against women were reported in India in 2013, an increase of 26.7 percent from the previous year, according to official statistics.
Public awareness about sexual crimes against women in India has become prominent after the deadly 2012 gang-rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapist on a moving bus.
The victim died of internal injuries in a hospital. The ensuing outrage over the attack prompted the government to introduce harsh anti-rape laws, yet such heinous crimes seemed to continue unabated in the country.
