Shahdara sexual assault case: Suicide rumours are false, says Delhi Police

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Monday debunked the rumours about suicide committed by a woman in the Shahdara sexual assault case.

“Social media post regarding suicide of the girl is false and a rumour,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) R. Sathiyasundaram told IANS.

He further said that police officers had just met the girl on Monday morning and she was doing fine.

The horrific incident occurred on January 26, Wednesday when a 20-year-old woman was allegedly attacked by a group of people, including women, who chopped off her hair, tore her clothes, blackened her face, and then paraded her on the streets of Shahdara area. The woman was also gangraped in a house in the same area.

Delhi Police has so far arrested 12 people in the case, including 8 women and three male minors who sexually assaulting the woman.

The DCP informed that a 10-member Special investigation Team (SIT) under ACP rank officer has also been formed for speedy and proper investigation of the crime.

Soon after the incident, a video in which the woman was being paraded on the streets with a blackened face and the mob cheering in the background went viral on social media forcing the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to take suo-motu cognizance of the said incident.

In the video, which was also shared by DCW chief Swati Maliwal, the victim woman was seen to be wearing a garland of slippers.

Maliwal issued a notice to the Delhi Police in connection with the case and said that it was the most unfortunate incident that was reported from the national capital. “A woman was gang-raped by the accused, who deals in illicit liquor. She was made to wear a garland of shoes. Her face was blackened and she was paraded in the area. Most unfortunate incident. I am writing to Delhi Police to provide security to the woman and her family and take strong action against the accused,” said Maliwal.

Maliwal, along with her team, met the victim at the hospital and assured all help to her.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also, on that day, reacted to the horrific incident and asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to instruct Delhi Police to take strict action against all the accused. “This is very shameful. How did the criminals get so courageous? I urge the Union Home Minister and the Lieutenant Governor to instruct the police to take strict action and pay attention to the law and order situation. Delhiites will not tolerate such heinous crime and criminals at any cost,” said Kejriwal in a tweet.

Bharatiya Janata Party MP from east Delhi Gautam Gambhir too spoke to DCP Shahdara over the “barbaric assault on the 20 year old woman”.

“I assure that these animals (men & women) will not be spared,” he had said then.

(IANS)