DCW chairperson Maliwal visits 15-yr-old rape survivor in hospital

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal visited the 15-year-old rape survivor who is currently undergoing treatment at a government hospital.

The incident dates back to the night of April 23, when the young girl mysteriously went missing from her residence in Madangir, Ambedkar Nagar. When her distraught father reported her disappearance to the Delhi Police, he was advised to wait until morning.

The girl returned home the following morning and revealed that she had been sleeping on the terrace. However, this traumatic experience profoundly affected the teenager. She became increasingly withdrawn and displayed symptoms of severe anxiety, including panic attacks.

Matters took a distressing turn on August 17, when she was admitted to a private hospital and discovered to be 3-4 months pregnant. During the counselling, she disclosed that a boy from their neighbourhood had allegedly raped her on the night of her disappearance.

Shockingly, the complainant’s father claimed that the accused had threatened the young girl into silence by threatening to harm her family.

Tragically, this was not the survivor’s first encounter with such horrors. Her father revealed that she had been sexually assaulted by another man who lived in their building in Sangam Vihar between October 2018 and January 2019. Although an FIR has been registered under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at PS Ambedkar Nagar, there are concerns regarding the case. The FIR mentions only one accused and not the others implicated by the girl’s father. Furthermore, as of now, the survivor’s statement under Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has not been recorded.

Reacting to the distressing situation, Maliwal expressed her deep concern, saying, “The incident is very unfortunate. This has severely impacted the girl and she is going through extreme mental trauma. Statement of the girl should be recorded urgently, and all the accused persons must be traced and arrested immediately. The DCW is providing support to the girl and her family. The case should be fast-tracked and action should be taken immediately.”

In light of these grave circumstances, the DCW chairperson has taken immediate action by issuing a notice to the Delhi Police, seeking an action taken report in the case. The commission is demanding comprehensive details on the accused arrested in the matter and the reasons for not apprehending the other individuals mentioned by the survivor’s father.

Furthermore, the DCW has called for information regarding the steps taken by Delhi Police to expedite the recording of the survivor’s statement.