‘Safer’: One month after minor’s gang rape in DDA park, HT visit to Astha Kunj Park

When HT visited on Wednesday, the pathways were found illuminated, allowing visitors to walk along the designated routes with better visibility

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A month after a 17-year-old girl was gang-raped, allegedly by three men, inside Astha Kunj park in southeast Delhi, the park’s walking pathways appeared well-lit with a police patrolling vehicle taking rounds, HT found during a visit on Wednesday evening. Some parts of the 142 acre park, however, were still pitch dark.

Around 8.30pm, a police patrolling vehicle and a motorcycle were spotted making rounds of the park. HT visited three entry points and found that security guards were absent at two of them.

HT revisited the park to assess the changes in security and lighting following the alleged gang rape on September 21 which had raised concerns over the safety of visitors, particularly women, using the park after dark and led to a security audit of all the parks across Delhi by authorities and widespread protests demanding safety of women.

Also Read:Delhi parks poorly lit, without CCTV: Police audit after minor’s gangrape

When HT visited on Wednesday, the pathways were found illuminated, allowing visitors to walk along the designated routes with better visibility. Police personnel were also seen patrolling the premises, with a vehicle and a motorcycle making rounds around 8.30pm. Two security guards on a bike blaring a siren similar to one used by police were also spotted.

Visitors report feeling safer, but call for consistency

For people who regularly pass through the area, the changes have made a difference to how safe they feel.

Kiran Chauhan, 27, who works in B-Block Sant Nagar and lives in Gujar Colony, said she earlier felt unsafe while using the route, particularly during the evening. She said the situation now felt better, attributing the improvement to the visible lighting and security presence.

“Earlier, I would feel unsafe while taking this route, especially in the evening. There was always a sense of uncertainty about who might be around. Now, with the pathways lit up and police personnel patrolling the area, I feel safer. I have even taken this route at around 9:15pm in the past, but the feeling of safety is important when you are travelling alone or returning late. My parents still remain worried though,” Chauhan said.

She added that visible security measures could make a difference to women who rely on the route for their daily commute. However, she said, maintaining these arrangements consistently would be important to ensure that people do not feel vulnerable once the attention surrounding the incident fades.

Another regular visitor to the area, Arvind Maurya, 33, who works at a shop in Nehru Place and lives in Sant Nagar, said he had noticed changes in the surroundings, though he felt more could still be done.

Also Read: Supreme Court censures Delhi government for public safety failures amid rising sexual offences

“Earlier, the situation here was different. Now, there has been some improvement, but it still feels like a little more needs to be done. Lighting and police patrolling are important, but security should also be visible at the entrances. People should be able to see that the area is being monitored and that there are personnel available if they need help,” Maurya said.

Park safety under scrutiny after alleged gang rape

The gang rape of the minor inside the park last month had brought the safety of the public space under scrutiny. The three men were arrested and sent to judicial custody.

In September, following the incident, when HT visited this 142 acre park, as details of the horrific gang rape emerged, a spot check of the park in the afternoon found that across the park’s seven entry points, only one had two guards allowing the nearly hundreds of people who visit the park to pass through it with very little security.

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  Hemani Bhandari is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in New Delhi, where she reports on crime, policing, governance and social issues. With over a decade of experience in journalism, she specialises in combining on-ground reporting with evidence-based storytelling to examine the human impact of public policy, law enforcement and urban governance. Over the years, she has reported extensively on major developments in the capital, including crime investigations, civic challenges, protests, and issues affecting vulnerable communities. As a Special Correspondent, she focuses on producing exclusive investigations, enterprise stories and long-form features that go beyond daily news cycles. She has a keen interest in using public records, official data and field reporting to uncover systemic issues and present complex subjects in an accessible manner. A graduate of the Asian College of Journalism, Hemani believes in rigorous, ethical and evidence-based reporting. She is passionate about investigative journalism and continuously seeks to expand her skills in data journalism, open-source investigations and digital reporting techniques.Read More

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