Delhi: Caught ‘stealing’ in factory, woman beaten to death

NEW DELHI: A woman died and another was injured after they were beaten up by a group of people for allegedly stealing from a factory in outer Delhi’s Samaipur Badli. The woman, a ragpicker, along with a few others, was allegedly locked up and beaten up the entire night. Police got to know about the incident in the morning and rescued them.

They were taken to hospital for checkup and later taken into custody. However, one of them started complaining of a severe headache and was taken back to hospital where she died during treatment. Police said they were probing the matter. Her family members alleged that she was killed for resisting molestation by a group of men. They also alleged that a few policemen were involved in the assault that led to the woman’s death.

Police said they received a PCR call around 6am that a group of women were being held inside a factory at Samaipur Badli after they were caught stealing. When the police team arrived at the scene, a crowd had gathered there. Some people were thrashing the women in the building, an officer said. A few stolen items were allegedly seized from their possession.

“The PCR team managed to calm the crowd down and took the women for medical examination. After the doctor declared them fit, they were arrested and produced in a court, which sent them to judicial custody. One of the women, however, started complaining of uneasiness and was taken to hospital again where she died,” DCP (outer-north) Gaurav Sharma said.

Relatives of the deceased, a resident of Kalandar Colony in Bhalswa Dairy, claimed the women were sorting plastic packets from garbage when they strayed into a residential colony. “Some men tried to drag them into a workshop. When they resisted, they were thrashed and branded as thieves,” the deceased’s brother claimed. He alleged that the woman was thrashed at the police station too.

The woman’s husband, also a ragpicker, had died four years ago. She is survived by six children.