Researcher gang raped in Delhi, three arrested

A woman from Odisha, who has a background as a researcher and is currently dealing with a mental health condition, was abducted and gang-raped in the Sarai Kale Khan area of Delhi. Police said on Thursday that three men have been arrested in connection with the case.

The assault occurred on October 10, and the woman, now undergoing mental health treatment at AIIMS Delhi, had travelled to Delhi alone on May 9, without notifying her family. Her family subsequently filed a missing person’s report in Puri, Odisha.

According to the police, the woman holds a postgraduate degree in social work from Utkal University of Culture in Bhubaneswar and has over eight years of experience in the social sector. She has previously served as a research fellow and worked with various organizations.

Following the incident, the woman was found the next day in a distressed state but, due to her mental health challenges, struggled to assist with the investigation or communicate with medical staff. To facilitate communication, a police officer posing as a social worker, with assistance from an Odia-speaking woman, built rapport with her over time and collected important information. This led to the first arrest on October 30, followed by the arrests of two more suspects.

Police stated they initially responded to reports of a woman injured and bleeding near Sarai Kale Khan on October 11. “The police arrived immediately and transported her to AIIMS Trauma Centre for medical care, where she informed the attending doctor that three individuals had sexually assaulted her,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Ravi Kumar Singh.

Her mental health challenges initially hindered her ability to cooperate with the investigation, said DCP Singh. Recognising her dedication to the social sector, the police reviewed her background and found she had worked extensively as a researcher and community leader in Odisha, contributing to developmental projects and providing counselling services.

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Since she couldn’t provide clear leads on the assault, special permissions were arranged at AIIMS Trauma Centre, where a female officer posed as a social worker and a native Odia woman posed as a nurse to build trust with the victim. With this approach, they gathered details pointing to the involvement of an auto-rickshaw driver and two other men, one with a physical disability.

Although limited by the victim’s memory gaps, the police crafted a detailed site plan and reviewed footage from 700 CCTV cameras, checking over 150 autorickshaws. Ten police teams were mobilized for the operation.

On October 30, Prabhu Mahto was arrested, and Pramod Babu and Mohammad Shamsul were apprehended on November 2 and November 4, respectively. During questioning, Pramod admitted to spotting the woman near Old Delhi railway station on October 10 and conspiring with Shamsul, a physically disabled beggar, to attack her. They allegedly dragged her to a secluded area to assault her, where Mahto also participated. Mahto later abandoned her near Sarai Kale Khan before fleeing.

(With inputs from PTI)