Delhi: Key accused Asif, among three, arrested for gang rape of minor near Kalkaji Mandir

According to reports, the suspects posed as policemen and threatened the girl and her male friend before committing the crime.

The alleged rape took place in an old, dilapidated stone structure inside the Aastha Kunj Park, where the three accused allegedly took turns assaulting the girl, police sources told The New Indian Express.

According to media reports, the key accused, identified as Asif,  allegedly was among the three who posed as policemen and took the girl away at gunpoint to a secluded part of the park on Monday evening.   

After being questioned, police also arrested the other two accused, identified as Hemant, a lawyer, and his brother Mukesh, a final-year BSc Mathematics student, from their residence.

Sources told the newspaper that the accused knew each other as they lived and worked in the vicinity of the park and also, frequently met there.

Asif, who lives in Amar Colony, used to work as an onion wholesaler at the Okhla Mandi, sources told The New Indian Express.

Asif allegedly fired three rounds of fire at the police when they were being intercepted in the ealy hours of Tuesday.

One of the bullets hit the bulletproof jacket of Head Constable Rajesh. In self-defence, he fired two rounds, one of which hit Asif in his right leg, police told the newspaper.

The accused is currently undergoing treatment at AIIMS Trauma Centre.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Vijay Kumar told the newspaper, "A PCR call was received at 8:45 pm on Monday regarding a 17-year-old girl from Faridabad who had come here with her 17-year-old male friend. They first went to the temple to offer prayers and then to the Aastha Kunj Park, towards a somewhat secluded area."

Three men allegedly approached them, claiming to be policemen, and spoke to them using "police- and lawyer-like" language, telling them that they were minors, were doing something wrong and that a case could be registered against them, the officer said.

They separated the girl from her friend and took her to the secluded area, police said, adding that the accused took turns to hold down the boy while the others assaulted the girl.

The accused allegedly beat up the victim's male friend.

Asif allegedly threatened the girl with a firearm and a knife and raped her. The two other accused also allegedly raped her, following which the three men threatened the girl and her friend, The New Indian Express reported quoting the complaint.

An FIR has been filed in connection with the incident at Amar Colony police station under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The incident came to light at a time when the country was left shocked by a viral video footage where a teen girl was seen being sexually harassed by a group of men in Bihar.

The incident reportedly took place on September 19 when a Class 10 girl and her male friend were allegedly intercepted and harassed in Jamui, located around 150 km from state capital Patna.

According to reports, the girl was allegedly grabbed, groped and sexually assaulted, while her male friend was allegedly assaulted by the accused.