New Delhi, Sep 22 An expansive park in southeast Delhi, surrounded by three major temples, has come under scrutiny following the alleged gangrape of a 17-year-old girl by men posing as police personnel, with security gaps including broken boundary walls, unmanned gates and dimly-lit stretches coming into focus.
On Monday evening, three men — Asif, Hemant and his brother Manish — allegedly posed as police personnel and took turns to rape the 17-year-old girl inside the Aastha Kunj Park near the Kalkaji Mandir, police said.
The incident has raised questions over access control at the sprawling green space, which has a large perimeter and several entry points, with locals saying they avoid entering the park after sunset despite the presence of security guards and regular police patrolling.
The park, under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), is spread over approximately 142.1 acres and has 29 gates, including wicket gates. It witnesses considerable footfall during the day due to its proximity to the Lotus Temple, the ISKCON Temple and the Kalkaji Temple, besides residential areas, markets, offices and metro stations.
Speaking to reporters, guard Amar Paswan said nine security guards are deployed in each of the three shifts at strategic locations in the park. The main gates are closed after 7 pm, but people can still enter the park by crossing the boundary wall or using smaller pathways, he said.
“People from the locality are scared to enter the park after 6 pm,” local resident Vijay Kumar said, adding that several people use a route through the park while travelling between the Nehru Place metro station and Garhi village.
Another resident, Krishna Kumar, said police patrol the park during the evening and night and use torches to ask people to leave. Resident Arun also advised people to avoid entering the park after sunset.
The park is surrounded by several localities, including East of Kailash, Kailash Hills, Nehru Place, Kalkaji, Greater Kailash-I, Kailash Colony, Garhi village, Okhla Mandi, Mount Kailash and Amritpuri. More than 17 residential societies are located around it, with some having smaller gates opening towards the park.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern) Vijay Kumar said the park is open from many sides, while some portions of the boundary wall have collapsed. “Some gates are not manned with guards, while some places are not sufficiently lit,” he added.
Meanwhile, the DDA said the lighting installations in the park are functional and inspected regularly. The DDA also maintains coordination with the beat officer and other Delhi Police officials regarding security, law and order, preventing unauthorised activities and maintaining a safe environment, it added.
“Security-related concerns pertaining to the park have also been taken up by the DDA with the Delhi Police on several occasions for appropriate action, enhanced patrolling and necessary preventive measures,” the authority said.
Following the recent incident, the DDA said it has immediately reviewed and further strengthened the existing security arrangements.
It is also undertaking a comprehensive assessment of security manpower and deployment requirements, keeping in view the extensive area of the park and its 29 access points, the DDA said, adding that coordination with police is being further strengthened for enhanced patrolling and a prompt response to suspicious activities or emergencies.
The DDA said it remains committed to strengthening preventive, surveillance and security measures at the park.
(PTI News)
