The Delhi Commission for Women has issued notices to the Medical Superintendent of Maharshi Valmiki Hospital and the city police in connection with the alleged sexual assault on a six-year-old girl in Bawana.



The girl was allegedly assaulted by a man in outer Delhi on June 18 and was taken to Maharshi Valmiki Hospital in Rohini where doctors referred her to another facility saying emergency services were closed, angering a crowd that ransacked the premises. A man was arrested for sexually assaulting the girl while the hospital has given a complaint to the police over the incident of vandalism.

In the notice issued to the hospital, the DCW said the facility refused to conduct the medical examination of the victim and made her wait for several hours. The DCW has sought a detailed explanation from the hospital over these issues and on referring her to another hospital. The agency also inquired about the reasons for inadequate facilities in the hospital due to which the victim was denied treatment. The hospital has to reply by June 24.

In the notice issued to the police, the panel said the Crisis Intervention Centre/ Rape Crisis Cell Counsellor of the DCW was not informed when the victim's statements were recorded by the police on June 18. The women's panel said that had they been informed to counsel the victim at the time she arrived in the police station, as per orders of the High Court, the "sad situation" could have been avoided and entire investigation process could have achieved credibility in the eyes of victim and the public at large. It has sought a detailed explanation from the police for not informing the Rape Crisis Cell and the reasons for not taking the victim to a One-Stop Centre. It has also sought a status report in the case. The police have time till June 24 to reply to the notice.