Pregnant 19-year-old stabbed, face mauled; left on roadside in Delhi

The 19-year-old woman is currently battling for life at a government hospital in the city, they added

A 19-year-old woman was stabbed multiple times, including on her face, and was left lying on the side of the road near Mayur Vihar in east Delhi for more than 12 hours between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, police officers familiar with the matter said.

It was not clear whether she was attacked by someone she knew or was the victim of a violent robbery, an officer aware of the case said, adding that her broken mobile phone was found at the scene of the crime. (Representational image)

The woman, who is pregnant, is currently battling for life at a government hospital in the city, they added.

A resident of Mayur Vihar, the 19-year-old is unmarried and lives with her family, police said.

It was not clear whether she was attacked by someone she knew or was the victim of a violent robbery, an officer aware of the case said, adding that her broken mobile phone was found at the scene of the crime.

The spot where the incident occurred is not covered by CCTV cameras, and the woman is not in a condition to give a statement, the officer said.

The woman worked at an Ayurveda centre and was returning home after work on Wednesday. “The last time she was seen on CCTV, on the road between her workplace and the spot where her body was found, was when she was seen talking to someone at around 8pm. We are trying to identify and find that man,” the officer said, adding that they suspect that she was attacked shortly after.

Police officers said that a case against unknown people was registered under Indian Penal Code’s Section 307 (attempt to murder) at the Mayur Vihar police station.

Deputy commissioner of police (east) Amrutha Guguloth said that around 9am on Thursday, the Mayur Vihar police station received a call about an injured woman lying by the roadside near Chilla village.

A police team reached there and found the woman with knife injuries on her body. The woman, who appeared to have been lying there since last night, was rushed to Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) hospital in east Delhi.

“After administering first aid, the woman was referred to Lok Nayak hospital, where she is currently undergoing treatment. Her family was informed. A case of attempt to murder was registered. Further investigation is in process,” said Guguloth.

The deputy commissioner of police noted that the woman’s family had complained to the police at around 2.30am that she had not returned home.

“Our police personnel were already looking for the missing woman when we received information about her being found at around 9am,” he said.