Delhi Park Gang-Rape: Accused Knew Crime Scene, Suspects Planned Attack
Three men accused of gang-raping a 17-year-old at a Delhi park knew the area well, police say, as investigators examine their phones and past conduct.
Investigators probing the gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl at a south Delhi park suspect the attack was pre-planned, with one of the three accused said to have been a frequent visitor to the spot and living close by.
Asif, 32, a vegetable wholesaler described as the main accused, resided near Astha Kunj Park in the Kalkaji Mandir area and would allegedly loiter in its secluded stretches, officials said. A pistol, a knife and condoms were recovered from him during the investigation, they added.
According to the account pieced together so far, the girl and her 17-year-old friend entered the park through Gate No. 7 earlier this week after offering prayers at Kalkaji Mandir on her 17th birthday. The three accused are said to have spotted them there, followed them for nearly a kilometre and then confronted them by posing as police personnel, addressing the boy as "sir" to lend credibility to the pretence.
The girl was then allegedly separated from her friend. Asif, who is married and has a 13-year-old daughter, is accused of threatening the two with a knife and a pistol before the trio took the girl to several secluded spots inside the park and sexually assaulted her. While one of them assaulted her, another allegedly kept watch and called the third to continue the attack, reports said.
The three then threatened the girl with consequences if she filed a complaint and fled. She and her friend managed to leave the park and contact the police.
Before going home to Srinivaspuri, the accused allegedly ate at a nearby eatery and later washed their clothes in an attempt to destroy evidence, sources said. The three are reported to have been childhood friends.
Hemant, 24, said to be an advocate, and his brother Mahesh, 24, a final-year BSc Mathematics student, had deleted their search histories, while Asif's phone was found to contain several pornographic videos, the investigation revealed. All three phones have been sent for forensic examination.
Hemant was removed from a gym about a month ago after its management received multiple complaints from women about his behaviour, a senior police officer said.
Investigators are also examining whether the accused were involved in similar incidents at the park in the past, and are checking their criminal records and earlier activities. Police said the three have shown no remorse during questioning.