Delhi: Bedridden 87-year-old raped at home, suspect flees with phone

An FIR under sections of theft was registered at TilakNagar police station initially, poiice said, adding that they later added sections pertaining to sexual assault in light of new allegations

An 87-year-old woman was allegedly raped at her house in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar on Sunday, police said, adding that the suspect was yet to be arrested.

According to family members, the clothes of the senior citizen were torn, and she was bleeding when her daughter returned home. (Picture for representation only)

Police said the matter was reported to them on Sunday in which the daughter of the victim said some unidentified person burgled the house when she went out for a stroll. The elderly woman, who has been bed ridden, was alone at the time of the incident, police officers associated with the case said.

They said a First Information Report (FIR) under sections of theft was registered at TilakNagar police station. They added in the light of new allegations by the family on Monday, sections pertaining to sexual assault were added to the same FIR.

According to the investigators, the elderly woman lives with her 65-year-old daughter. The family alleged that an unknown person entered their house on Sunday around 12.30pm, and left before 1.30pm -- the time during which the woman’s daughter was out.

According to family members, the clothes of the senior citizen were torn, and she was bleeding when her daughter returned home.

Investigators said, the woman initially filed a complaint about the theft of a mobile phone. “On Sunday, a written complaint regarding theft of mobile phone from a house in Tilak Nagar was received from the daughter of a senior citizen. An FIR under relevant sections was promptly registered,” Delhi Police tweeted on Monday after allegations emerged on the social media that the police were reluctant to register a case of rape.

On Monday, the victim’s daughter alleged that her mother was sexually assaulted too, police said.

Senior police officers said relevant sections were added to the FIR, and counselling and other necessary assistance was provided to the elderly woman.

A friend of the elderly woman’s grandson tweeted on Monday that the police were discouraging the family members to report the rape. “According to the family, the police manipulated them. Told them that if they file a case of rape, “badnami hogi”. They were told they might face further harassment. This is part of the written complaint that the family has submitted to the police,” the friend tweeted.

In an earlier tweet, he said, “My friend’s 87 year old bed ridden grandmother was raped in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar yesterday. She has injuries too. The Delhi Police has not been cooperative and is refusing to file an FIR.”

Additional deputy commissioner of police (west) Prashant Gautam said the allegations of delay in registration of FIR and officers not cooperating with the victim’s family were baseless. “In their second complaint, the family has accepted that in the first report, they did not mention the assault. Section of sexual assault were added later as soon as the family approached the police,” he said.

Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal issued a notice to Delhi Police. She said two counsellors from the women’s panel reached the spot when they got to know about the incident, and met the victims and police officers. “She has alleged that she was raped by an unknown person while she was alone at home,” said Maliwal.