Noida gang rape victim readmitted to hospital
Officials gave conflicting versions on why she was discharged
NOIDA: The 21-year-old woman who was allegedly gang-raped and assaulted by five men on Wednesday, admitted to a hospital, and then discharged on Saturday, was readmitted a day later, after she complained of internal pain, the police said. Hospital staff however, said she was readmitted only on the police’s insistence.
The incident took place on November 13 around 8:30pm, when the woman had gone to meet Ravi, an acquaintance, in a park in Noida’s Sector 63, to explore a job opportunity. The park is barely 500 metres from a police post. The police said Ravi allegedly tried to rape her and she raised an alarm, after which two men rescued her. After that, however, the two men allegedly gang-raped the woman along with three other men they had called, the police had said.
While Ravi was arrested on Thursday, three other suspects were arrested on Friday. Two of the suspects are still at large.
The arrested were identified as Ravi, Brijkishore, Pitambar, and Umesh. The two suspects on the run were identified as Guddu and Shamu, both from Uttar Pradesh. The Noida police had also announced a reward of ₹25,000 on their capture.
The woman, the youngest of seven siblings, is recuperating in a hospital in the city. Her discharge was cloaked in drama, as various officials presented conflicting opinions behind the causes of her release.
A day after hospital authorities said she had been discharged on her and her family’s will, the woman continued to undergo treatment there.
“She was clinically fit to be discharged from our end. However, police officials insisted she remain admitted. She will continue to remain under observation for the next couple of days,” said chief medical superintendent, Vandana Sharma.
The district’s chief medical
She was clinically fit to be discharged from our end. However, police officials insisted she remain admitted.
VANDANA SHARMA, chief medical superintendent
officer, Anurag Bhargava said the woman returned to the hospital after being discharged. “She wasn’t feeling well and came back almost immediately,” Bhargava said.
Police officials however, said that she was readmitted after she complained of internal pain.
Sources in the hospital said the woman was assaulted by the suspect at the time of the incident and had received internal injuries, along with wounds in her private parts. She continues to be in trauma, a nurse from the hospital said.
Police officials stationed outside her hospital room said members of her family had travelled to the city from their district to visit her.
“Her brothers visited her from their district while her mother, who is hard of hearing, is keeping her company here. She is also the complainant in the matter,” said a police personnel from the Phase 3 police station where the FIR was registered. The victim’s father has passed away.
Hospital staff and police personnel prevented HT from interacting with the victim’s mother.
Confusion also surrounded the woman’s age. Officials said that while her Aadhaar card showed her age to be 21, the age determination test conducted by the medical board put her at 18+. The police are now treating her as an 18-year-old.
A search is also on for the suspects who are on the run. Police officers said the family of one of the suspects lives in Noida’s Sector 63, while the other suspect’s family has fled. “We have two teams looking for them. A search is on both in the city area as well as in districts like
Badaun and Sambhal, from where the suspects belong. The other suspects were also from these districts. Teams are also looking in Hardoi and Saharanpur and a close look is also being kept in places frequented by them in the city, in case they return,” said superintendent of police (city), Vineet Jaiswal.
The woman is yet to give her statement in court, the police said.
Vimla Batham, chairman, Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission, who met the woman at the district hospital, said that while the woman was recovering quickly, she was in no position to be discharged. “Whatever the circumstances, it’s good that she has been readmitted. She is strong and should recover quickly. But she should be kept in medical observation for at least a week more,” Batham said.
Officials of the hospital have also sought help for the woman’s treatment, because she comes from an economically weak background.