16-year-old raped in Gurugram’s Sector 45

According to the police, the girl stated in the complaint that around 4.45am, she had gone to the washroom when the accused man crept up from behind, grabbed her and forcefully took her to his room, where he sexually assaulted her.

A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a man in Sector 45 in the early hours of Sunday morning. The police said the accused man, who lives near the victim’s house, is yet to be arrested.

The police said the girl tried to yell, but he threatened to kill her. Further, she could not identify him at that time. (Raj K Raj/HT file photo. Representative image)

According to the police, the girl stated in the complaint that around 4.45am, she had gone to the washroom when the accused man crept up from behind, grabbed her and forcefully took her to his room, where he sexually assaulted her. The police said the girl tried to yell, but he threatened to kill her. Further, she could not identify him at that time.

Her father, a labourer, said, “He put a hand on her face and took her to his room and raped her. Around 5.30am, I went out looking for her and saw her returning from the accused man’s room, which is near our shanty. She was crying and seemed frightened. She shared her ordeal with me. I told some people in the area and went to Sector 40 police station to report the incident.”

The victim’s father, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, alleged that the police had initially tried to dissuade the family from filing an FIR. “The police told us to settle the matter and that if we proceed with the case, the girl’s future would be ruined and she would face difficulty in finding a match. They said that we would be caught up in expensive legal proceedings. So, under duress, I signed before the legal aid, saying that we do not want to pursue the matter. However later, I took help from others and went again to file the case,” he said.

The police said in the morning, they had received a call from police control room (number 100) regarding an alleged sexual assault case. However, at the time, the victim and her family did not mention sexual assault in the statement recorded before legal aid, said the police.

Aman Yadav, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Sadar, said, “In the initial statement before the legal aid, there was no mention of assault and the family had said that the girl was talking to someone in the neighbourhood and a third party called the police. Later, the family changed their statement and said that the minor had been sexually assaulted and that they had recorded the initial statement under duress.”

ACP said that after the complaint of sexual assault was received, the family was contacted again and an FIR was immediately registered in the case. “The accused is yet to be arrested. The medical examination of the victim has been conducted and the report is awaited, We shall verify all the facts pertaining to the case,” he said.

A case was registered against the accused man under section 376 (rape) of Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Sector 40 police station on Sunday evening, said police.