Gurugram: Rape survivor tries to set self on fire, slams cops for inaction

GURUGRAM: A 28-year-old woman who was allegedly raped by her live-in partner tried to self-immolate outside the office of the Gurugram police commissioner on Thursday. The woman had come to meet the police chief about a rape complaint she had filed four days back, ever since which she has been doing the rounds of police stations alleging inaction.
The woman had come to the office of the police commissioner with 2 litre petrol in a plastic bottle wrapped in newspaper. She waited for a few minutes to meet the commissioner and then, came out of the waiting area on the second floor and poured petrol on herself, crying out that no one is paying heed to her complaint. Policemen present on the floor rescued her.
A case has been registered against her under Section 190 (threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public servant) and 309 (attempt to commit suicide) of the IPC at Civil Line police station.
The woman, according to police, had filed multiple FIRs, including rape cases against two people, including her live-in partner Yogesh Dutt, at different police stations in Gurugram and Delhi, and had tried to commit suicide thrice in the past one year. Ten days back, Dutt had lodged a complaint against her for blackmailing him and forcing him to marry her before she was divorced from her estranged husband. Based on this, a case was registered against her.
Earlier this year, she had also filed a rape case with DLF-3 police station against a doctor she had met.
The woman, originally from Allahabad, moved to Gurugram last year after seeking divorce from her husband who she had married in 2012. She met Dutt, her current live-in partner, while searching for a medical attendant job in the city during the lockdown, said ACP (crimes against women), Usha Kundu.
“They started living together in Delhi, and on August 25, she attempted suicide and filed a case against Dutt at Kotla Mubarak police station in Delhi. She withdrew her case after getting assurance of marriage from Dutt. On September 2, they got married at a temple, moved to Gurugram and started living in Sector 7,” said ACP.
After moving to Gurugram they had frequent disputes. “In the last one month, she had filed four complaints at different police stations in Gurugram and closed her complaints each time by giving in written that she will live peacefully with her partner,” said the ACP, adding that twice, she had called on police control room complaining about domestic violence and every time she closed her complaint saying they have resolved their problems. One time, they had a fight in public, and when the traffic police approached them, she asked them to stay away from their personal issues.
Last week, she approached New Colony police station to file a complaint, saying that her husband (Dutt) had left her.
Police commissioner KK Rao said police have taken action on every complaint of the woman. “We act promptly in cases of crimes against women. She has filed multiple cases,” said Rao, adding that police will take appropriate action.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)