16-year-old girl gets her face slashed

For refusing to share her sister's phone number

A 16-year-old girl’s face was allegedly slashed with a blade by a man for refusing to share her older sister’s mobile phone number with him in outer Delhi’s Kirari on Thursday night.

Police said the victim escaped with comparatively minor injuries and was discharged from hospital after being administered first aid.

The suspect was immediately caught by the bystanders and thrashed before he managed to escape. He was nabbed again by the police a few hours after the incident that took place on Thursday.

The suspect Saurabh, 23, and the victim’s 22-year-old sister were known to each other as they had previously worked together at a factory in Mundka. “Saurabh had taken a liking for the girl, but she did not show any interest in him. He would even follow her when she returned from work every day,” a police officer said.

The victim quit her job a few weeks ago because of which Saurabh had lost all touch with her. However, of late he had found out her address and had visited the girl’s home on a couple of occasions.

Police said Saurabh had tried to obtain the girl’s phone number from her family members on some pretext or the other but had been unsuccessful. He revisited her house on Thursday evening and openly sought her phone number, but was turned away and warned by the family not to stalk her ever again.

“He did not return to his home and instead waited near her home. When the girl’s minor sister visited the local market an hour later, he intercepted her midway and asked her for her sister’s number,” the officer said.

The girl refused upon which he began insisting. That soon led to an argument between the two in the crowded marketplace. Saurabh then attacked her face with a sharp object, allegedly a blade.

She began crying out in pain which drew the attention of the people around. They caught Saurabh and beat him even as one among them called the police control room. But before the police could arrive, he managed to give the crowd a slip.

The injured girl was taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital and treated for her injuries which police said were “superficial” in nature. Her statement was taken down and a case registered.