New Delhi: An 87-year-old woman was allegedly raped and assaulted by an undentified person at around noon Sunday in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar area. The bedridden woman was alone in her house when the accused allegedly broke in and attacked her, leaving her with injuries, and took her mobile phone.
While an FIR of theft was initially lodged Sunday evening, Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections of rape were added Monday. Members of the 87-year-old’s family have alleged that the police had initially coaxed them to lodge a theft complaint, under IPC Section 380.
After the matter had garnered attention, the rape charges were added Monday on the basis of a fresh complaint filed by the family.
“A case of theft was registered on the basis of the first complaint filed by the family. Now, with the fresh allegations, relevant sections of law — IPC 376 — are being added to the FIR. Further investigation is on to identify the suspect,” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Prashant Gautam told ThePrint.
Denying the allegations that the police had pressured the family, the officer said the family had initially reported only the theft. “They have given a written statement saying that they didn’t mention the sexual assault over the societal taboo. The victim’s medical (examination) is being conducted,” he said.
Assault for an hour, mouth bleeding
Speaking to ThePrint, the victim’s grandson-in-law said she was found by his 65-year-old mother-in-law in a “bleeding condition, her clothes all over the place, partially removed”. The victim lives with the 65-year-old, her daughter.
“Grandmother is in shock. She and my mother-in-law didn’t understand what to do, and the local police persuaded them to only lodge a theft complaint against the accused, citing court challenges and society,” he said.
“Our relatives and I reached Delhi only today, after which a fresh complaint was filed alleging rape. Senior officers have visited us,” he said, adding that the victim cannot move her left leg, which restricts her basic movements.
According to the family, at around 12.30 pm Sunday, an unknown person entered the victim’s house, saying that he had come to check the gas. Her daughter had left the house around 10 minutes before, for some work.
“The door was bolted from outside because grandmother can’t move. He told her that he had to check the gas, so she told him to call her daughter at work. He assaulted and raped her till around 1.30 pm, and took away her mobile phone,” the grandson-in-law said.
“At around 1.45pm, my mother-in-law reached home and saw grandmother bleeding. After they spoke to the local police, they registered only a theft complaint,” he said, adding that the victim is in extreme trauma.
The new complaint alleging rape was later filed by another relative. The complaint, accessed by ThePrint, mentions that the elderly woman was found bleeding from her mouth.
“She informed her daughter about the crime, and that the suspect is aged between 25-35 years and that he assaulted and raped her for nearly an hour,” the complaint reads.
The complaint also mentions that the 65-year-old woman, the victim’s daughter, had informed the police only about the phone theft due to “fear of harassment and reputation”.
The victim has three daughters — one who lives with her in Delhi, one in Gujarat and the third in Punjab.
(Edited by Rohan Manoj)
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