Delhi rape: ‘Minor’ accused has a quiet surgery

The polite, mild-mannered teenager, who was brought to Lok Nayak Hospital with acute appendicitis on Saturday, turned out to be the ‘minor’ who was among the six who brutally gang-raped the 23-year-old girl on December 16.

The polite, mild-mannered teenager, who was brought to Lok Nayak Hospital with acute appendicitis on Saturday, turned out to be the ‘minor’ who was among the six who brutally gang-raped the 23-year-old girl on December 16.

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“We had no idea who he was. We don’t ask the police for their criminal history. He was just another patient brought from the Bal Sudhaar Grah (juvenile correction home) on Monday,” a doctor, who attended on the alleged rapist, said on condition of anonymity.

He said the doctors were told that the patient had developed sudden excruciating pain in the abdomen on Friday night and tests at the hospital showed he had acute appendicitis, which needed immediate surgery.

The painful appendix was removed late on Saturday night. “He’s on a liquid diet. He is very polite and quiet, which surprised us when we got to know the brutality he is accused of,” he said.

Doctors figured out their low-key patient was the notorious “minor” when the court asked them for a fitness certificate to determine whether he was fit enough to appear for the court hearing on Monday.

“He is recovering well, but will be in the hospital for at least another two days,” the doctor said, adding that the minor was the only accused missing for the court hearing.

“There’s always a policeman with him. Fearing for his safety, the hospital is trying to keep his identity under wraps, but he’s already becoming a minor celebrity. Everyone wants to see what a fiend looks like,” he said.