Echoes of Nirbhaya, 20-yr-old raped in city

The incident is a grim throwback to the gruesome gang-rape and torture of a para-medic student in a moving bus which had shaken the country and raised nationwide protests.

The incident was reported at around 10 pm when the girl was waiting for a bus to Noida at the AIIMS bus stop. She had come for a job interview and got late while returning. All of a sudden, an SX4 car stopped near her bearing a Ministry of Home Affairs sticker. 

The driver offered to drop her to Noida for just Rs 20. As the shared cabs are a common sight at these stretches, the unsuspecting girl got inside and it was after the vehicle started moving that she realised it was a mistake. The driver molested her and took her to a secluded spot in Moti Bagh and raped her with the car’s doors locked. The girl then somehow managed to flee.

At around 1:30 am, a motorcycle patrol party spotted the girl in distress. The local police station was informed and the motorcycle patrol along with the woman, accompanied by a female police staff in the ERV Gypsy, started searching for the suspect car at the location indicated by the victim. The vehicle, however, could not be located. The girl was immediately taken for medical examination and several teams were sent to locate the accused and the car used in the crime.

Early on Thursday morning, search resumed along with the victim and professional combing of the area led the police to the car, parked at a distance of nearly 100 metres from the location initially narrated by the victim. The registration number of the car led the police to Kotla Mubarakpur.

Further investigations revea-led that the car belongs to one Mohit Pawar, a resident of Kotla and son of a head constable of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). He told the police that he had bought the car a few months ago and appointed one Avnish as its driver some time back. The MHA sticker which has expired is said to have been put to avoid toll tax. The police put the mobile number of the accused driver on technical surveillance. Teams were rushed to nab him once he was traced.

“The efforts of the teams paid off when the accused was located in a jhuggi situated in Moti Bagh area where he was about to start his drinking session with a friend. The accused was brought to the police station. He has been interrogated and arrested,” said DCP South Ishwar Singh.

Forensic teams were called in and several exhibits were seized by the experts from the car and sent for biological examination.

“We are also questioning the father, son duo for the use of the MHA sticker and accordingly a case would be registered,” said a senior police officer.  

The accused, Avnish, has been sent to judicial custody to Saket court till December 20.