Ragpickers rape Goa woman waiting at Delhi bus stand, 1 arrested

A month after a woman from Goa was allegedly raped and assaulted when she was waiting at a bus stand in the city, the Delhi Police said it has arrested a man, while another suspect is still on the run.

The incident happened on September 16 and the arrest was made last Wednesday. Police said 4,000 vagabonds were verified to establish identity of the suspects, ragpickers from Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli.

The woman, a native of Goa, was to catch a bus from the Sarai Kale Khan bus stand but she reached early and decided to spend the night at nearby Indraprastha Park bus stop, police said.

While she was sleeping, two men -- Abdul Khalid and Munna -- dragged her to the bushes behind the bus stop, which is located on the Ring Road, and allegedly raped her. They also assaulted her when she tried to resist, officials said.

The woman managed to escape with the help of a motorist who stopped on hearing her screams. Khalid and Munna too fled the spot.

Police said they have arrested Khalid from the Sarai Kale Khan area following a tip-off, while a hunt is on for Munna.

Khalid has confessed to the crime and said that he and Munna were in an inebriated state on the night of the incident, police said.

"During investigation, clothes of the survivor in torn condition, her slippers and a 'gamchha' were recovered from the spot," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said.

The accused admitted that the 'gamchha' or the towel belonged to him, Biswal said.

Khalid has been produced before a court, he said, adding that raids are being conducted to nab Munna.