17-year-old rape victim had twice attempted suicide
NEW DELHI: The 17-year-old girl from a south Delhi public school, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by two MNC employees, was driven to desperation and attempted suicide twice in October and November last year.
Her statement to the police reveals a sordid tale of exploitation by the two men who, she alleges, were working in tandem.
It was a Facebook friendship with Naveen Singh Khetwal, 24, that began in September 2011, which pulled her into the quagmire.
Naveen introduced her to his cousin, Rajesh, 24, and by December, Rajesh, too, had befriended her on the social networking site.
The case underlines the perils that social networking sites pose to vulnerable teenagers. This girl became quite enamoured with Rajesh. They exchanged phone numbers and text messages and would speak to each other daily, meeting occasionally. But suddenly in March 2012, Rajesh discontinued his friendship with her. She was heartbroken and went into depression, she says in her complaint.
Soon, her studies provided the necessary diversion. Police sources said the girl, a science student, had scored 100% in three subjects in her previous class and her depression affected her studies.
This seemed to be the cue for Naveen to take over. He filled a vacuum in this girl's life and would often console her, she says.
They gradually became close and he would often take her out to Lodhi Garden, Lajpat Nagar and Connaught Place on his bike. Eventually, on July 24, she alleges, he spiked her soft drink and raped her in a flat in Safdarjung Enclave.
Accused gave her number to others
By September, Naveen seemed to have gone cold on the teenager and there was a sudden break-up on September 7.
According to the girl's statement, he said he had given up his job and was going back to his native place in Uttarakhand.
This time Rajesh did the handholding, and the very next day, she alleges, he raped her in his friend's room in Green Park.
Now, both turned abusive. Her phone number got circulated among strangers and she started getting obscene calls, she has alleged. They had her photographs on their mobiles, she told the police. This was the time when she attempted suicide by consuming Lizol and was treated at a prominent south Delhi hospital. She told the cops that she intended to take a cough syrup and had by mistake consumed the disinfectant liquid cleaner.
After she recovered, her mobile was taken away by her parents but she continued to try to reach out to Naveen who only rebuffed her. She sliced her veins, she says, but survived.
The girl, out of guilt and fear, fared very badly in academics and her parents got extremely worried.
In her statement, the girl says she realized she was being victimized after one of Naveen's relatives told her how the two had planned to exploit her after befriending her on Facebook.
The unending harassment forced the family to approach the police on December 31, who arrested the accused after registering an FIR.
DCP south Chhaya Sharma had confirmed their arrest to TOI on Wednesday.
The cops have booked the two for rape and outraging the modesty of a woman and also under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act ( POSCO) 2012. They have been sent to judicial custody.
The girl has deleted her profile from the social networking site. Initially, the girl, under severe mental trauma, had not been able to give the exact details of the case to the police on December 31.
17-year-old rape victim had twice attempted suicide - The Times of India