'Suicide attempt' at police station

Law student collapses after overdose of sleeping pills

A 25-year-old rape victim collapsed in a south Delhi police station on Tuesday after taking an overdose of sleeping pills in an apparent suicide attempt. She took the extreme step after being threatened by the father of the accused.

Senior police officers denied that the pills were consumed at the Vasant Vihar police station. An eyewitness told Deccan Herald that a pouch containing sleeping pills was recovered from her at the station.

The woman, a law student living in Ghaziabad, was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital from where she was later discharged after she regained consciousness.

According to police, the woman had accused her live-in partner Mehul of raping her on the pretext of marriage. A case was filed with Vasant Vihar police station in 2011 after which Mehul, who hails from UP’s Meerut, was arrested. He was sent to judicial custody by a court.

Sources said the accused got bail from High Court last Tuesday. It is now alleged that after his release, he and his family members approached the woman again. 

“The victim was opposing Mehul’s bail. She also alleges that his father Raja Ram visited her house in Ghaziabad on Monday and tried to threaten her into taking her complaint back,” a source said.

On being threatened, the victim went to her brother’s place in Daryaganj to discuss the matter. 

She then decided to approach police to lodge a complaint, and reached Vasant Vihar police station in an autorickshaw around 9.30 pm on Tuesday.

The victim became unconscious and collapsed at the station, following which she was rushed to the hospital. 

A senior police officer said the woman did not attempt to commit suicide at Vasant Vihar police station as she lost consciousness when she was on way in the autorickshaw. On Wednesday, she met senior police officers of south district to discuss her complaint.

Police recorded her statement on Wednesday and filed a case under section 506 of the Indian Penal Code against Raja Ram. Sources added that the case is being transferred to Ghaziabad police.