NEW DELHI: What began as a visit to Kalkaji Temple ended in an alleged sexual assault inside a Delhi park after three men reportedly used a fake police identity to intimidate two teenagers.
A 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped at Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Mandir on the evening of September 21, Delhi Police said. The three accused allegedly approached the girl and her 17-year-old male friend, claimed to be policemen and threatened them with legal action.
Police said the men allegedly separated the girl from her friend and took her towards a secluded area of the park. According to her complaint, one accused allegedly threatened her with a firearm and knife before sexually assaulting her. The other two allegedly assaulted her subsequently.
The accused then allegedly threatened the teenagers before leaving.
A PCR call was received at around 8:45 pm, following which officers from Amar Colony police station reached the park and found the girl and her friend.
The girl was taken to AIIMS for medical examination, while crime and forensic teams examined the scene and collected evidence. An FIR was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and POCSO Act.
The case quickly turned into a manhunt.
According to police, all three accused — identified as Asif, Hemant and Mukesh — were arrested within hours. Police said Asif allegedly opened fire while officers were trying to intercept him in Amar Colony. A head constable's bulletproof jacket was reportedly hit, after which police fired in self-defence and Asif was injured in the leg.
The alleged assault has also put Aastha Kunj Park's security infrastructure under scrutiny.
The 142-acre park has multiple entry points, broken sections of its boundary wall and poorly lit stretches. Reports found that several entry gates had little or no security presence, while CCTV coverage was either absent or non-functional in key areas.
Delhi Police's Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range), Vijay Kumar, said the park's size, broken boundary walls and poor lighting created challenges for surveillance and patrolling.
That makes the story bigger than just the alleged impersonation.
Three men allegedly pretended to be cops. But the place where they allegedly carried out the crime also had gaps in the systems meant to keep people safe.
The concerns around Aastha Kunj Park did not begin with this case.
Hindustan Times reported that two people were attacked in the park in June 2025, with the attackers escaping because no guards were nearby. The report also found that the park's security remained thin more than a year later.
Following the latest incident, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu directed a comprehensive safety audit of Delhi's parks, including checks on lighting, security, cleanliness and patrolling.
Lady Shri Ram College, located around two kilometres from the park, also cancelled regular classes and shifted them online for a day, citing concerns over student safety.
The police response has led to the arrest of all three accused, and the criminal investigation is continuing. The allegations will ultimately be tested through due process, and the accused are presumed innocent unless convicted by a court.
But the case raises a question that goes beyond this one investigation:
How does a public space become safe enough for people to use after dark — not just safe enough on paper?
A fake police identity was allegedly enough to intimidate two teenagers.
Broken boundaries, inadequate lighting and limited surveillance made the park harder to monitor.
Because safety isn't just about catching people after a crime. It's also about whether the system makes it harder for that crime to happen in the first place.
