Delhi Park Gang-Rape: 17-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Gangraped in Aastha Kunj Park

An incident involving the alleged gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl came to light on Monday, September 21, at Delhi's Aastha Kunj Park near the Kalkaji Temple, exposing critical security lapses across one of the national capital's largest green spaces. The minor victim was allegedly assaulted between 7.30 pm and 8.30 pm by three men who exploited sprawling dark patches and unmanned entry points, triggering intense public scrutiny over administrative oversight and policing standards in the sensitive area.

The tragedy has sparked sharp criticism following claims that on-duty police personnel were seen playing cricket stripped down to their undershirts at a time when heightened vigil was required. With questions mounting over whether an impartial investigation will examine this alleged dereliction of duty, local residents and regular visitors point out that the 142-acre park has long suffered from chronic neglect, poor lighting, and porous perimeter walls. Fake Cops Gang-Rape Minor Girl Near Delhi’s Kalkaji Mandir, 1 Accused Arrested After Gunfire.

Delhi Park Gang-Rape

 

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Delhi Park Gang-Rape: Seven Gates, Few Guards and Dark Stretches

Spread over a sprawling 142 acres with lush greenery, the park is meant to be a secluded haven from the hustle and bustle of city life. But only during the day. At night, the same seclusion, locals say, has turned the park into a “hub” for drug addicts, snatchers, and thieves.

“I sometimes come here to walk. It’s very close to my house but, in the last two years, it has become risky. So many bodies are found here. There are snatchers and robbers here who carry knives all the time,” said Archit Srivastava, a resident of Sant Nagar, which lies a few 100 metres to the north of the park. Delhi: Minor Girl Assaulted, Gagged and Threatened With Scissors Inside Tailoring Shop; Accused Arrested.

On Tuesday, as details of the horrific gang rape emerged, a spot check of the park around 3 pm found that across the park’s seven entry points, only one had two guards. This would allow the nearly hundreds of people who visit the park to pass through it with very little security.

In the evening, between 6.30 and 8 pm, HT found one security guard at gate number 1, which was properly lit, and another at gate number 3, which is some metres from where the gang-rape took place and was completely in the dark. A third guard was seen making rounds inside the park on a motorcycle, occasionally telling visitors sitting in secluded spots to either leave or move towards better-lit sections.

In a statement, however, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) contested claims of inadequate personnel, stating that the park has 27 guards who work in three shifts, meaning at least nine guards should be present at all times.

“The park is huge and it’s impossible to keep a vigil in each and every area. Handling young couples is a major problem that we face. They become aggressive when we ask them not to sit in isolated or poorly lit areas. Many of them accuse us of moral policing and threaten to file police complaints. Sometimes, we also face violent responses from visitors,” said one of the guards in the evening, adding that all guards are armed only with a stick and a torch while police patrolling is also carried out.

'Impossible to Man the Entire Park'

In terms of police presence, one PCR van was stationed outside gate number 3, with two policemen seated inside. It was not clear if they were meant to be patrolling the area. By evening, however, several more officers, including Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Vijay Kumar, arrived in the area following the incident.

When asked about police presence, a senior officer said it was “impossible to man the entire park” because of its size and density. “At night, there’s no light and even police personnel can’t go there for patrolling. We are trying to increase deployment but DDA has to fix their boundary walls and deploy more guards,” the officer noted.

According to the officer, the park is surrounded by colonies like Sri Niwaspuri, Garhi Village, Govindpuri, Okhla Mandi, and Kalkaji, and the boundary wall into the park from many of these sides is broken. “Anyone can easily enter the park,” the officer added.

Regular Visitors Unaware of Risks After Sunset

After sunset, the park was only partially lit, offering long stretches of darkness shrouded by tall trees, with visitors seen navigating paths using phone torches. Despite the security concerns, regular evening activities continued, with families at children's play areas, fitness enthusiasts at the open gym, and pedestrians crossing between ISKCON Temple and the Kalkaji-Lotus Temples, largely unaware of the crime.

Seated on a bench near Gate number 2, Vivek Gupta, a resident of Noida, and his fiancée Anjali expressed dismay. “Nobody stopped us at the gate or told anything about the sexual assault. We now feel scared and may not come here again after sunset,” said Gupta.

Alok Kumar, 60, a resident of East of Kailash, pointed to an empty guard room being used as a dump. “At night, there are no lights near the Iskon Temple entry side. Why would anyone come here at night? Only criminals come here because it’s very easy for them. There are no guards, no police and so many entrances for them,” Kumar said. The case recalls past incidents in the park, including a June 26 attack last year on two walking friends, highlighting long-standing institutional oversights that remain unaddressed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 23, 2026 05:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).