Bawana rape case: DCW issues notice to Maharshi Valmiki hospital, Delhi police

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Wednesday issued notices to the Medical Superintendent of Maharshi Valmiki Hospital and the city police in connection with the alleged sexual assault on a seven-year-old girl in Bawana.

The girl was allegedly raped by a man in outer Delhi on Tuesday and was later shifted to Maharshi Valmiki Hospital in Rohini where doctors refused to treat her and referred her to another facility saying emergency services were closed. Following this, the crowd present in the hospital ransacked the premises. The situation turned so violent that the staff had to run to escape the angry mob.

In the notice, the DCW said it has been brought to their notice that the Crisis Intervention Centre or Rape Crisis Cell Counselor of the Commission was not informed when the victim's statements were recorded by the police on June 18.

Calling it a very serious matter, the Commission said it has learned that the victim was taken for medical examination where the facility of One-Stop Centre did not exist, leading to delay of several hours in conducting the medical examination of the victim.

The notice further read that this sad situation could have been avoided and the entire investigation process could have achieved credibility in the "eyes of the victim and the public at large".

Both hospital and police have time till June 24 to reply to the notice.

The accused was arrested on Tuesday and a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered against him.

-ANI