Aastha Kunj park gang-rape: Supreme Court registers suo motu case

A Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice J.B. Pardiwala on Monday (September 28, 2026) registered a suo motu case in the alleged gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl. A week ago on September 21, 2026, three men posing as police officers sexually assaulted a minor, inside south Delhi’s Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Mandir.

Dictating the order taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, Justice Pardiwala said the alleged crime reveals the systemic failure on the part of the Government of Delhi NCR and the capital’s police to ensure basic public safety.

Justice Pardiwala said merely expressing commiseration was not enough.

The Hindu reported earlier that, the stretch around Aastha Kunj Park had already figured in Delhi Police’s dark-spot surveys, which are meant to identify poorly lit areas. Yet the lighting gaps remained when the alleged assault took place on Monday (September 21, 2026) evening.

Of the total 1,525 streetlights recorded across the southeast district, 33% were found to be non-functional, according to data accessed by The Hindu. A senior police officer said the number was particularly concerning given the size of the area and the volume of pedestrian movement, adding that even 1,500 streetlights were inadequate for the district

The Delhi Commission for Women also had taken suo motu cognisance of the gang-rape case, seeking a detailed report from the police on the incident and action taken so far.

Delhi Lieutenant-Governor T.S. Sandhu, while interacting with senior Delhi Police officers at police headquarters, stressed that women’s safety was “non-negotiable”. He directed the city police to establish a dedicated women-centric ‘Pink Force’, modelled on a Goa Police initiative, with trained women personnel deployed around schools, colleges, metro stations, and other vulnerable areas, for high-visibility deterrence and rapid response.