Delhi: Woman confined, assaulted after suspected of stealing cashews in Burari

A man has alleged that his wife was confined in a room and brutally assaulted by three women who accused her of stealing a packet of cashew nuts in the Burari area of north Delhi, an official said on Friday.

According to the FIR registered at Burari police station, the incident occurred on March 28 between 9:15 and 9:30 PM as the woman was returning home from work and stopped at a grocery store near a government school.

In her complaint, the woman claimed that after completing her purchase at the counter, the three women demanded to see the bill for her items. As she began to comply, the trio allegedly pushed her, hurled abuses, and accused her of theft.

When she resisted, the accused allegedly snatched her mobile phone and dragged her to the back warehouse of the store, where they physically assaulted her, read the FIR (copy with PTI).

The victim further alleged that a man briefly intervened, but the assault continued. She sustained injuries during the attack, including swelling under her right eye and a fracture in her right hand. She stated that she requested her phone but lost consciousness during the assault.

According to the FIR, she regained consciousness upon hearing her husband’s voice, who had arrived at the scene after someone from the store asked him to come quickly. The store staff eventually returned her mobile phone, after which a PCR call was made.

Subsequently, a PCR van arrived at the scene and took the woman to Burari Government Hospital, where she received initial treatment. Doctors documented a medico-legal case (MLC), noting the history of physical assault. She was later referred to a higher centre for further treatment and underwent care at LNJP Hospital on March 29.

The police stated that the woman did not provide her statement immediately at the hospital, indicating that she would do so after her treatment.

On March 30, accompanied by her husband, she visited the Burari police station and based on her complaint, the police registered a case under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 127(2) (wrongful confinement) and 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS, launching further investigation into the matter.

A police officer said that they are verifying all the facts in the case.

Meanwhile, the man alleged that store staff accused his wife of stealing a packet of cashews, leading to an argument after she retaliated.

“This was not her first visit; we shop there regularly every 15 days. When my wife opened her bag to show its contents, a staff member snatched her phone. She was carrying two phones, and they took her personal one. When she confronted them about why her phone was taken, the situation escalated,” he said.

He alleged that his wife was taken to the back of the store, where a man held her phone while the three women assaulted her severely, causing her to faint.

He said he grew suspicious when he repeatedly called her for over two hours with no response.

“That evening, my wife had called me around 9.40 pm, but I could not answer. When I later returned home and saw the missed call, I tried calling her back, but she did not respond, which made me uneasy as she normally answers my calls,” he alleged.

He added that he also tried reaching her through a social media app. At one point, the call was briefly answered, and he could not hear anything properly.

“I initially assumed she might be in the metro. Around 11 PM, after repeated attempts, someone finally answered her phone and asked me to come to the store to pick up my wife,” he said.

Upon arriving at the store, he said he noticed 15 to 20 men standing outside, all silent. “After pressing further, someone told me she was inside, near a shelf, where she had fainted. When she regained consciousness, she began crying continuously, and the police were called,” he alleged.