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Danish rape victim extremely traumatised, still afraid of the dark

Last Updated 02 July 2015, 14:30 IST

Two police officials from Denmark today told a Delhi court that the 52-year-old Danish woman, who was allegedly gangraped here last year, was "extremely traumatised" when she reached her native country after the incident and has still not recovered.

Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja recorded the statements of prosecution witnesses Rasmus Nielsen, Inspector (investigation) in Copenhagen Police and Britta Almfort, Detective Inspector with the force.

Delhi police, in its charge sheet, had said the eight accused, all vagabonds, had allegedly robbed and gangraped the Danish tourist at knife-point on the night of January 14, 2014 after leading her to a secluded spot close to the Divisional Railway Officers' Club near New Delhi Railway Station.

Nielsen said he had met the victim at Copenhagen airport on the evening of January 15, 2014 with the help of a nurse provided to help victim of rape crises and she was taken to the state hospital.

The woman was examined at the special ICU in the hospital and her forensic medical examination was also done, he said.

He said had he conducted the woman's interview and the case was handed over to detective sergeant Almfort.

He added that he had interviewed the woman thrice in January last year and it was recorded in Danish language and then translated in English.

"In the interview, she was asked about the incident. She was extremely exhausted and traumatised and so she was not able to narrate all the complete facts at that time," Nielsen deposed, adding that in the first interview on January 15, 2014, the woman had given details about the age of some of the perpetrators.

Witness Almfort, who was marked with the case on January 20, 2014, testified that she had interviewed the victim twice and she was in a "very bad condition, both mentally and physically" when she met her.

"Victim was extremely traumatised by the incident and she has still not recovered completely. Her teeth were also damaged in the incident and she had not resumed her normal work till date," Almfort said, adding that the woman was still afraid of going out in "dark".

During the hearing, Almfort also identified the signature of the doctor who was a forensic medical expert and said she has been working with him for past 25 years.

She said Dr Steen Holger Hansen had collected samples of the victim during her medical examination and the samples were sent to concerned department for DNA profiling.
She said the victim had told her that the offenders were between the age group of 18-45 years.

The court fixed July 9 for recording statements of others prosecution witnesses in the case.

The victim, who was visibly depressed, was also present during the proceedings and sat with her head down. She also broke down outside the courtroom.

The court had yesterday recorded the statement of the victim, who came here from Denmark in pursuance of summons issued earlier, with the two Danish police officials. She had identified three of the six adult accused as the ones who had gangraped her.

According to court sources, the woman had identified 24-year-old accused Mahendra as the one who had threatened her with a knife when another man was raping her.

The court had summoned the woman on February 24 this year to record her testimony after the earlier one issued on January 13 could not be served upon her.

It had directed that fresh summons be issued to her as per the guidelines of Ministry of External Affairs which require a processing time of at least three months.

The court's direction had come after the Investigating Officer informed it that the summons issued to the woman had returned unserved as India does not have a mutual legal assistance treaty with Denmark.

The eight accused, including two juveniles, were arrested in the case. The two juveniles are facing an inquiry before the Juvenile Justice Board here.

The six adult accused - Mahendra alias Ganja (24), Mohd Raja (22), Raju (23), Arjun (21), Raju Chakka (22) and Shyam Lal (55) are in judicial custody and facing trial.

The eight accused have been booked under sections 376(2) (g) (gangrape), 397 (robbery or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 392 (robbery) of IPC.

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(Published 02 July 2015, 14:28 IST)

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