NEW DELHI: Lady Shri Ram College for Women cancelled regular classes on Tuesday and shifted them online for Wednesday after a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped at Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Mandir, raising concerns over the safety of students in the area.The college, located around 2km from the park, said the safety, security and well-being of its students remained its top priority, news agency PTI reported.“After we got to know about the unfortunate incident, we cancelled classes. The safety, security and well-being of our students is of paramount importance to us. We have requested our faculty mentors and college counsellor to remain available for any support students may require,” principal Kanika K Ahuja said.The girl was allegedly raped by three men inside the park on Monday evening.Police said the accused had allegedly posed as policemen before separating the girl from her 17-year-old male friend and taking her to a secluded part of the park.According to police, the girl and her friend had first visited Kalkaji Mandir and later entered Aastha Kunj Park through Gate 7.The accused allegedly approached them, claiming to be policemen and told them they were minors and could face a case for being in the park.The men allegedly separated the girl from her friend and took her to a secluded area, where they allegedly assaulted her.Police said the male friend was also allegedly beaten up and the accused threatened both of them.An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.The girl was medically examined at AIIMS, while crime and forensic teams examined the spot and collected evidence.All three accused were arrested on Tuesday.One of them, identified as Asif, allegedly opened fire at a police team during his apprehension near DM Office Road in Amar Colony.Police said three rounds were fired at the team and one bullet hit the bulletproof jacket of head constable Rajesh. In retaliation, police fired two rounds, one of which hit Asif in the leg.The accused have been identified as Hemant, a lawyer, his brother Mukesh, a final-year BSc Mathematics student, and Asif, an onion wholesaler, police said.Police are also verifying whether the men could have been involved in other similar incidents at the park, though no complaint related to any such incident has been received so far.The incident has sparked concern among students and the college community over safety in and around the area, with the college opting for online classes as an immediate precaution.(With agency inputs)
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