Delhi gangrape: Police, victim's brother differ on delay

New Delhi, Jan 5: The Delhi gangrape victim's brother today told

that the delay in admitting her to hospital on the night of Dec 16 proved to be crucial but

have strenuously denied this.

The brother of the 23-year-old paramedical student who was sexually assaulted by six brutes in a moving bus quoted the victim as saying that "... she had asked passersby for help but to no avail and it was only after the highway patrol alerted the police that she was rushed to hospital but it had taken almost two hours."

Lamenting that "by then a lot of blood was lost", the victim's brother noted: "Had the passersby helped and if prompt medical assistance was provided, perhaps her life could have been saved."

The Delhi Police presented a different version of events at a press conference today. Joint Commissioner Vivek Gogia claimed that within minutes of the Police Control Room (PCR) receiving a call about two persons lying injured near the Mahipalpur flyover, PCR vans rushed to the place.

The JCP refuted the allegation levelled by the victim's male companion that initially there was a dispute over "which police station's jurisdiction the case fell" and precious time was wasted in this squabble.

According to the victim's friend, police neither gave clothes to him and the victim though they had both been stripped by the rapists nor was an ambulance called. Incidentally, a case was registered against Zee News hours after the channel telecast his interview.

However, the police cited call records to buttress their point that medical assistance was provided promptly. "The PCR call was received at 10:22:20. Call broadcast to PCR vans and Van Z-54 was directed to spot. Meanwhile, PCR van E-42 reached the spot on its own at 10:26 -- in four minutes. Van Z-54 reached the spot at 10:28 i.e. within 5.5 minutes of the call. It left the spot with victims at 10:31 i.e. within three minutes. It reached Safdarjang Hospital within 24 minutes at 10:55. All records as per GPS (Global Positioning System)," the police said.

Gogia averred that "whatever police could arrange at that point of time was provided. Bear in mind that the victim was transported to the hospital in 16 minutes."

Pointing out that "PCR vans are not within the jurisdiction of police stations and are separately controlled by the Police Control Room", the JCP added that "Victim's friend was released by Safdarjung Hospital after first-aid within few hours. He was then brought to police station to record a complaint and help in the investigation."

OneIndia News
(with PTI inputs)