- A housing society security guard assaulted and raped a 23-year-old woman on a terrace in Ahmedabad
- He was arrested after a 90-minute incident and shot in the leg while escaping
- The victim was tied with a wire and assaulted for an hour before neighbours intervened
August 8, 7:22 pm: Dharam Singh, a security guard at a housing society, takes the lift to the fifth floor. Forty seconds later, he gets out on the fifth floor and takes the stairs to the terrace.
Ninety minutes later, at 8:52 pm, Singh is seen walking out of the building.
In these 90 minutes, Singh is accused of assaulting and raping a 23-year-old interior design student at a paying guest (PG) accommodation in Ahmedabad. Singh was arrested and shot in the leg by police after he attempted to escape custody.
What Happened On The Terrace
The woman, an interior design student who has been living in Ahmedabad for the past two years, was walking on the terrace and speaking on the phone when the accused, Dharam Singh, walked up. Twenty minutes later, when her phone died, she decided to go back to her room.
Singh allegedly grabbed her and demanded sexual favours. When the woman refused, Singh attacked and assaulted her. He allegedly tied a wire around her neck and raped her.
The woman, a native of Kutch, told the police that she could not scream or call for help because the wire was choking her. And even when she tried, Singh allegedly tried to strangle her. The assault reportedly lasted for an hour.
Singh then took the woman's phone and locked her on the terrace before fleeing the spot.
When the woman found the terrace door locked, she raised an alarm. Hearing her screams, the neighbours came to her rescue.
Security Guard Arrested, Shot In The Leg
Ten teams comprising personnel from the police, the local crime branch and crime branch checked CCTV footage from the area and conducted a search operation, leading to Singh's arrest around 7-8 am on Sunday near the Hebatpur area.
Singh sustained a gunshot wound to his leg during an alleged attempt to evade arrest while being taken for procedural formalities.
"During the process of this recovery panchnama, the accused, in an attempt to escape police custody, tried to snatch the service revolver of Inspector RS Parmar," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 7) Shivam Varma told reporters outside the hospital. "A fight ensued, and Constable Virendrasinh was hurt in the process. An officer fired two rounds at the leg of the accused, one of which hit him. The condition of the accused and the injured constable is stable."
Police indicated that a separate case would be registered against Singh in connection with the alleged attempt to escape custody and seize the officer's firearm.
While lying on a hospital bed, Singh pleaded for forgiveness.
"Ek baar maaf kar do sir. Zindagi main kabhi me aisa kaam nahi karunga (Please forgive me this time, Sir. I will never do such a thing again in my life)," he said with folded hands.
Singh Was Hired Four Days Ago
Singh was deployed four days ago by the A1 security agency without registration. A native of Mahura Kalan in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district, Singh has been living in Ahmedabad for four years and has previously worked with four security agencies.
Police officials confirmed that legal action will be taken against the agency for failing to complete the required employee background verifications, emphasising that residential complexes and security firms must adhere to strict police registration protocols for staff members.
Singh has been booked on charges of rape under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the police officer said.
