19-year-old raped by friend in central Delhi

NEW DELHI: A 19-year-old girl was allegedly raped and threatened by a man in central Delhi on Tuesday. The incident was reported late in the night from Kasturba Gandhi Marg. The accused, Dharmender Singh Rathore, is absconding, cops said.

A case of rape and criminal intimidation has been registered against the accused at the Tilak Marg police station.
The accused had known the girl for the past five months and had even promised to marry her.

On Tuesday, he asked her to come to Kasturba Gandhi Marg. When she arrived, he raped her near some bushes on the road late in the night. ''The victim has claimed that he then threatened her with dire consequences if she complained to anyone. He even physically assaulted and intimidated her by trying to strangle her with the drawstring of her salwar. The MLC report has confirmed rape,'' said a senior police officer.

The victim came from West Bengal to Delhi two-and-a-half years ago. She had become friends with the accused who works with an NGO. He then promised to marry her and get her a job, police said.