Zirakpur horror: 16-year-old girl abducted, raped in moving car; hunt on for two

While driving around, they assaulted the girl, and took her to a forest area near Tribune Chowk in Chandigarh and then to Mohali’s Phase 11

A 16-year-old girl was allegedly abducted, raped in a moving car, and later dropped back near the spot from where she was picked up near Metro Mall on VIP Road, Zirakpur, police said on Friday.

The incident took place around 8 pm on July 22, when the girl, who works at a salon, was walking back home in Zirakpur. (HT)

The incident took place around 8 pm on July 22, when the girl, who works at a salon, was walking back home in Zirakpur.

According to the victim, two unidentified men turned up at the spot in a car and forced her into the vehicle.

While driving around, they assaulted her, and took her to a forest area near Tribune Chowk and then to Mohali’s Phase 11. While repeatedly taking her brother’s name, they raped her.

After the sexual assault, the accused dropped her back at the same place from where they had picked her up.

Duo approached her for directions

The victim claimed she did not know the accused. She said the two men in the car started talking to her under the pretence of asking for directions, and one of them forcibly pulled her into the vehicle.

In her statement to the police, the 16-year-old girl’s mother stated that her daughter worked at a salon in Zirakpur.

On July 23, after meeting a friend near Nada Sahib gurdwara in Panchkula, she took an auto-rickshaw to reach Zirakpur Metro Mall around 8 pm.

After getting off the auto, she was walking towards her house, when a black car with two unknown men stopped near her. One man asked for directions while the other forcibly pulled her into the car.

They took her from there to Chandigarh Tribune Chowk and then to the forest area of Phase 11, where they raped her in the moving car and later dropped her back in Zirakpur.

After hearing her daughter’s account, the mother filed a complaint with the police.

Based on her statement, a case under Sections 64 (rape) and 3 (5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered at the Zirakpur police station against the two unidentified accused.

Police are actively searching for the accused, and are also checking CCTV cameras on the routes from Zirakpur to Mohali and back.

Zirakpur police station SHO inspector Satinder Singh said, “Following the statement of the rape survivor, we registered a case and the facts are being verified. We are also checking the CCTV footage to detect the car in which the crime occurred.”

Victim’s counsel alleges mishandling of case by police

Advocate Malkit Kaur, representing the girl, raised strong objections over the way the case was handled by the police following her recovery.

In a formal complaint to the Mohali senior superintendent of police, she alleged that there was an inexcusable delay in conducting the medical examination of the minor despite the legal requirement to do so within 24 hours in such cases.

The mother also alleged that she repeatedly requested the staff to allow her to stay with her daughter during the medical examination, but they didn’t let anyone in. “She’s a minor and was already traumatised, which made it even harder for her,” the mother said.

Zirakpur superintendent of police (SP) Jaspinder Singh denied any delay or misconduct. “The medical examination was done in time. There was no lapse in staff duty. We are investigating all aspects and will ensure a fair probe.”

Civil surgeon Dr Sangeeta Jain said the girl’s medical examination was completed on time at Dhakoli hospital. But reports take time, sometimes even a month, she said.