South Delhi rape case: accused was fired from gym, say police

The brief

Context

Three men aged between 25 and 30 were arrested on a Tuesday, hours after the alleged gangrape of a 17-year-old girl at a park in South Delhi. According to police, the girl was out with a friend on her birthday when the three intimidated them by posing as police personnel, allegedly using a pistol. Police profiles of the accused show one is a law graduate who spent nearly a decade preparing for judicial services exams, another is a BSc student, and the third was recently fired from a gym after women complained about his behaviour and had a history of petty crime in the same park.

Key facts

• All three accused, aged between 25 and 30, were arrested on Tuesday, hours after the alleged crime at the South Delhi park.
• Accused Hemant Singh completed his BA LLB from Rohtak, Haryana, in 2014 and had been preparing for judicial services exams for almost a decade; he never took up legal practice.
• Hemant's brother and co-accused Mukesh is a BSc student enrolled in a college in Palwal; their father practises law in the courts of Palwal and Faridabad.
• The third accused, Asif, was recently fired from a gym after women complained of inappropriate behaviour; he then sold onions/vegetables at Okhla mandi and had earlier worked at a hotel.
• Police say Asif had allegedly been carrying a gun for the past few months and is suspected of multiple snatchings inside the park.
• No formal complaints had been filed against Asif earlier, so police took no action, officers said.
• Security guards at the park told police Asif behaved like a local strongman, threatening vulnerable people including girls from economically weaker backgrounds.
• Hemant and Mukesh live with their family in Sriniwaspuri; Asif lives with his wife and parents in Okhla Mandi; all three lived close to the park.

Timeline

1. 2014Hemant Singh completes his BA LLB from Rohtak, Haryana; thereafter prepares for judiciary exams without taking up legal practice.
2. Past two to three yearsHemant and Mukesh regularly visit the South Delhi park in the evenings to play.
3. A few months agoThe brothers meet Asif at the park.
4. Past few monthsAsif allegedly carries a gun and engages in petty crimes inside the park, according to police.
5. Recently (before arrest)Asif is fired from the gym after women complain about his inappropriate behaviour and switches to selling onions at Okhla mandi.
6. Day of the crimeThe 17-year-old girl, out with a friend on her birthday, is allegedly gangraped at the park by the three men who posed as police personnel.
7. TuesdayAll three accused are arrested hours after the alleged crime.

Who has a stake

• The 17-year-old survivor and her friend — Victims of the alleged gangrape and intimidation by men posing as police; entitled to protection, justice and support as a minor.
• Delhi Police / investigating officers — Made arrests within hours but face questions over why earlier alleged snatchings and harassment by Asif drew no action in the absence of formal complaints.
• The three accused (Hemant, Mukesh, Asif) — Face criminal prosecution; their backgrounds — law graduate, BSc student, sacked gym worker — are part of the police profile.
• Park security guards and regular park users — Guards reported Asif's strongman conduct; users, especially women and girls from poorer backgrounds, face safety risks in the park.
• Families of the accused in Sriniwaspuri, Palwal and Okhla Mandi — Face social fallout; the brothers' father practises law in Palwal and Faridabad courts.

Why it matters

The case shows how repeated harassment and petty crime in a public park went unaddressed because no formal complaints were filed, allowing an alleged offender to operate openly for months. It also underlines how impersonation of police personnel can be used to intimidate victims, eroding public trust in uniformed authority. For a minor survivor, the case raises questions about surveillance, policing and safety in large open public spaces in the capital.