Man rapes woman in Red Fort area, held

nNEWDELHI: A man allegedly raped a 23-year-old woman inside a park near Red Fort on Saturday night and kidnapped her twoyear-old daughter, who was later found. The police said the woman and the man are homeless and live in different city parks and shelter homes. The woman told the police that the man had hit her head with a stone when she tried to resist the assault and also kidnapped her daughter. The police said they were passing by the park on Saturday night when they heard the woman’s screams. The 30-yearold alleged rapist, also homeless, was arrested on Monday.

The police said that on Saturday night, the team reached the spot and took the woman to the hospital.

The woman had alleged at the hospital that the man had kidnapped her two-year-old daughter after assaulting her.

“She said the man injured her by hitting her with a stone when she resisted the attempt and kidnapped. Based on her statement and following a detailed medical examination, a case of rape and assault and kidnapping was registered under the Indian Penal Code,” an officer said, wishing not to be named.

“However, the woman’s daughter was found the same night close to the area where the woman lives. Some locals found her and brought her home. The man has been booked for kidnapping as well but we are probing if he tried to kidnap the girl,” added the officer, who requested anonymity.

The officer said the Red Fort is part of the high-security zone of the capital and preparations for Independence Day on August 15 have already started. “Every day, the area is checked by security personnel, including paramilitary forces. This is how the woman and the man were spotted by them and she was rescued,” he added.

Deputy commissioner of police (north) Monika Bhardwaj said a police team was deployed to search for the suspect who fled the spot and was later caught.