New Delhi: The preliminary post-mortem report of the 20-year-old woman, who was hit and dragged by a car, indicated ‘no injury suggestive of sexual assault’, according to Delhi Police. They also recorded Tuesday the statement of her female companion who was riding pillion on scooter with the victim and had fled the accident spot ‘out of fear’.
The eyewitness’ account will be important evidence in getting the accused punished and more CCTV footage has been recovered that could help establish the sequence of events Sunday night, the police informed.
While public outrage simmered over the incident and the alleged apathy shown by the police initially, there was heavy police deployment outside the victim’s residence Tuesday.
Doctors of the MAMC board who carried out the autopsy opined that the provisional cause of death was ‘shock and haemorrhage as a result of antemortem injury to the head, spine, left femur and lower limbs’.
“All injuries collectively can cause death in the ordinary course of nature. However, injury to the head, spine, long bone and other injuries can cause death independently and collectively in the ordinary course of nature,” the doctors opined. “All injuries produced by blunt force impact and possible with vehicular accident and dragging,” the preliminary report said.
The doctors said they would be able to offer a final opinion after the receipt of chemical analysis and biological sample reports.
“Also, the report indicates that there is no injury suggestive of sexual assault. The final report will be received in due course,” said Sagar Preet Hooda, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order). Sources said that there were no injury marks on her private parts.
Anjali Singh was killed in the early hours of the New Year after her scooter was hit by a car, which dragged her for 12km. Her body was found in Kanjhawala area. All five accused were sent to three days in police custody Monday. The body was handed over to her family Tuesday for cremation.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced Tuesday a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the victim’s family. He assured that the government will appoint the best lawyer to fight the case. The chief minister said that he spoke to her ailing mother and that his government will take care of her treatment.
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During a press conference, Hooda said that they have found a woman who was accompanying the victim at the time of the incident. Since she was scared after the accident, she left the victim and fled from the spot, he said.
Police said the victim’s friend did not speak about the accident with anyone else. “So, now we have an eyewitness to the incident and she is cooperating with the police. We are getting her statement recorded under section 164 CrPC. This is a significant development in the incident. This will be important evidence for us to get the accused punished,” Hooda stated.
“Investigation is still underway. It is at the primary stage and multiple angles are being probed. We are hopeful of completing the investigation soon and we will ensure that the accused get the strictest punishment,” Hooda informed.
In a CCTV footage recovered by the police, the victim was seen leaving a hotel around 1.45 am after a New Year party. She was wearing a pink T-shirt and her friend a red one. According to the footage, initially the victim was riding pillion on the scooter but then she swapped places with her friend. The friend, police said, escaped with minor injuries and fled the spot, while the victim was stuck under the car.
Another CCTV footage surfaced on Tuesday which showed the victim and the friend fighting outside a hotel just hours before the accident. Sources said that the two were partying with four or five others at the hotel.