E-Paper
Woman jumps out of e-rickshaw to escape sexual assault in Meerut; injured
A 35-year-old woman in Delhi jumped from an e-rickshaw to escape a sexual assault, suffering serious injuries. Two men were arrested; the driver remains at large.
A 35-year-old woman from Delhi sustained severe injuries after she allegedly jumped out of a moving e-rickshaw to escape a sexual assault attempt in Meerut’s Kankerkhera area on Saturday night. Two men were later arrested in connection with the incident.
Police suspected that there was an altercation over the fare between the woman and the driver.
In the FIR, she said she had come to Meerut at the invitation of her friend for a birthday party at a hotel. After the party ended, she left on foot. An e-rickshaw driver offered her a lift when she was attempting to reach Anand Vihar in Delhi.
Apart from the driver, two men were seated in the e-rickshaw. So, she sat in the vehicle’s front seat on the driver’s insistence, but soon found herself subjected to inappropriate comments and lewd advances, she said. The incident took place on the National Highway-58 near MIIT Engineering College in Kankerkhera.
“When I protested, the driver continued his misconduct. As I screamed, a man sitting in the back twisted my neck and threatened to push me out of the vehicle, saying they would kill me right there. Out of fear, I remained quiet, but when the driver began driving erratically, I panicked and jumped,” the woman said.
The woman suffered a fractured right arm, a broken nasal bone, and a head injury in the incident, police said.
Passersby noticed her writhing in pain on the highway and informed the police. She was admitted to the district hospital and later referred to the medical college.
On Sunday morning, her family members took her to Delhi for further treatment.
The woman’s brother-in-law said, “We are originally from Bulandshahr but live in Kalyanpuri, Delhi. My younger brother has not yet been told about this incident. Police informed me that she had met with an accident in Meerut, but when I arrived, I saw her condition was serious. We are now taking her to Delhi for treatment.”
Meanwhile, police said they have booked a case of attempt to murder under Section 109 of the BNS.
Meerut senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vipin Tada confirmed that while the driver was absconding, two other men had been arrested. “A primary investigation revealed that there was an altercation between the woman and the driver over the fare. During the altercation, she was pushed out, leading to her injuries. Police have registered a case of attempted murder against unidentified persons. The driver will be arrested soon,” the SSP added.
