Woman Discharged from Hospital Following Gang Rape in Haryana, India
A woman who was a victim of a gang rape in Haryana, India, has been discharged from the hospital one week after the incident, a police official informed the BBC. Discharge occurred on Monday night after she received medical treatment and underwent surgeries. The incident occurs amidst increased scrutiny of sexual crimes in India, particularly since a 2012 gang rape case in Delhi.
Incident Details and Victim's Condition
The 26-year-old woman was admitted to a hospital in Faridabad on December 30 with severe head and facial injuries and multiple fractures. According to her sister, the woman was waiting for transport after midnight on December 29-30 when two men in an ambulance offered her a lift. They reportedly drove her to a secluded location where the assault occurred, after which she was ejected from the moving vehicle. A doctor from the treating hospital reported that the woman was admitted around 5:30 AM on December 30 with multiple injuries.
Shalini Chopra, a social worker and opposition politician, stated to the BBC after speaking with the woman post-discharge that her condition had improved but she continued to experience pain.
Police Investigation and Arrests
Police reported the arrest of two individuals and the seizure of a vehicle in connection with the case. According to Yashpal Yadav, Public Relations Officer of Faridabad police, the incident occurred between 12:30 AM and 2:00 AM. He stated that one individual remained outside the vehicle as a lookout while the other raped the woman inside. The suspects were questioned by police, subsequently presented in court, and remanded to prison.
Senior police official Mukesh Kumar stated that an application has been submitted to the court for an identification parade involving the victim. Upon court approval, she would be requested to identify the two suspects from a group of individuals.
Broader Context of Sexual Crimes in India
The case has generated public discussion and comparisons to the 2012 gang rape of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi. The 2012 incident garnered international attention, resulting in significant protests in Delhi and other cities. This led to the introduction of new anti-rape legislation, including provisions for the death penalty in severe cases. Four individuals convicted in the 2012 case were executed in 2020. One perpetrator died in prison, and a juvenile offender was released after serving time in a reform facility.
Despite increased public and legal attention to sexual crimes since 2012, tens of thousands of rapes and sexual assaults are reported annually. Recent police records indicate 29,670 reported rapes and 2,796 attempted rapes in 2023. Additionally, 849 cases of child rape and 94 cases of attempted child rape were recorded.