Tuesday’s incident of gang-rape of a Danish woman in the heart of the city has come as a big embarrassment to the Delhi Police and Railways administration. The crime took place in an area, which houses the offices of senior Railway officials — including the Divisional Rail Manager (DRM) of Delhi. Apart from the offices, official residences of its senior officers too are situated in the vicinity.
These glaring facts are sufficient to underline the collective failure on part of the Delhi Police and other agencies which are responsible for security of the area. The most disturbing fact is that though there is significant movement of people in the area, no one could notice the suspicious activities of the accused. The foreign tourist was held hostage and raped for nearly five hours between 4.30 pm and 9.30 pm on the premises of northern railway club and no one heard the cries of the victim.
No police personnel of railways protection force (RPF) or not even one single police control room (PCR) van was stationed on the isolated premises of Northern Railway Officers’ Club on State Entry Road. Police sources said the investigation team also got shocked when they found no security personnel present in the site where alleged gang-rape took place.
“The investigation team has recovered undergarments and one used condom. But they found the entrance gate was closed, however the victim told the police, in her statement (a copy is with The Pioneer) that the door was opened,” police sources added. Several people who regularly visit the area also said scores of shady characters has easy access to the area and roam freely daily here. They added that several drug addicts could be seen consuming drug in the vicinity with impunity.
“Several incidents of snatching have been reported from the area in the past. I saw suspicious people and drug addicts roaming but no one stop them. It is sensitive area and certainly threat to the security of the railway campus,” said a vendor in the area.