Three Arrested in Delhi for Gang Rape of 34-Year-Old Woman; Case Built on CCTV and Evidence Collection

Delhi Police have arrested three individuals, including an autorickshaw driver, in connection with the October 11 gang rape of a 34-year-old woman researcher from Odisha, who has a mental health condition. The victim was discovered abandoned in Sarai Kale Khan, southeast Delhi, and is currently receiving treatment at a central government hospital.

According to investigators, two of the suspects, one of whom was intoxicated, targeted the woman when they found her alone and led her to an isolated spot where they assaulted her. The third suspect, an auto driver, joined in and subsequently left her at Sarai Kale Khan.

The suspects have been identified as Prabhu Mahto (28), an autorickshaw driver; Pramod Babu (32), a scrap dealer; and Mohammed Shamshul (29), a beggar. Police apprehended them using a combination of CCTV footage, technical surveillance, and human intelligence. Authorities also seized the autorickshaw used in the incident and various items of clothing belonging to both the victim and the suspects, which are crucial to the case.

The investigation was initiated after a PCR call at 3:15 am on October 11 reported a woman seen walking near Sarai Kale Khan, appearing injured and wearing blood-stained clothes. Responding officers took her to the hospital, where medical personnel confirmed she had been sexually assaulted and required sutures for her injuries.

A senior officer emphasized the importance of physical evidence and surveillance footage in building a strong case against the accused. The footage, alongside the recovered clothing, has provided key evidence.

During interrogation, Pramod admitted to being intoxicated when he noticed the woman alone after closing his shop near Tilak Bridge railway station. Shamshul, who has a physical disability and is also addicted to alcohol, soon joined him. The two saw the woman as an "easy target" and dragged her to a secluded area to assault her. Mahto, who witnessed the attack, then forced the victim into his autorickshaw, assaulted her, and later abandoned her at Sarai Kale Khan.

(The victim’s identity has been kept confidential to adhere to the Supreme Court’s directives on cases involving sexual assault.)