A bitter argument over a gym operating from a residential building in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar neighborhood erupted into a horrifying scene of public violence earlier this month. The incident, which occurred on January 2, saw a man brutally assaulted, his wife allegedly molested, and their young son stripped naked and beaten on the street in full public view.
Sequence of a Horrific Attack
Recounting the traumatic events to a news agency, the victim, Rita Garg, stated that the violence began outside their home. A group of men allegedly attacked her husband, Rajesh Garg, during a heated argument. She claimed one of the accused even drove a vehicle at high speed towards them, narrowly missing her husband, before joining the physical assault.
When Rita Garg tried to intervene, she alleges she was kicked, dragged by her hair, and pushed aside. In her complaint, she stated that by the time she managed to rush to the local police station to seek help, the attackers had entered their house. The assailants then dragged her son out onto the street, stripped him naked, and beat him publicly as bystanders watched helplessly. "My son kept pleading with folded hands," a distraught Rita Garg told reporters.
Police Action and Legal Ramifications
Delhi Police confirmed that the entire incident was captured on CCTV cameras, which have been seized and are being analyzed to establish the exact sequence of events. The footage reportedly shows the youth being assaulted by multiple men on the road, with the attack ceasing only after police personnel reached the spot.
According to the complainant, Rajesh Garg, the assault followed a dispute with the caretaker of the gym over control of the business. He claimed he was punched and kicked, his clothes were torn, and his wife was molested during the confrontation. A case has been registered at the Laxmi Nagar police station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The charges include:
- Voluntarily causing hurt
- Criminal trespass
- Wrongful restraint
- Criminal intimidation
- Assault to outrage the modesty of a woman
Police officials stated that the main accused has been arrested, while three others are currently absconding and efforts are on to trace them.
A Mother's Anguished Question
The incident has left the family traumatized, particularly by the public humiliation inflicted upon the young man. Rita Garg posed a poignant and harrowing question in the aftermath, asking whether such a brutal act of public stripping and beating was "less than rape" in its psychological impact and violation of dignity.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about law and order in residential areas and the extreme violence that can stem from local disputes. The use of the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita also marks a significant legal aspect of this disturbing case from the national capital.
