Delhi hit-and-run case: 'Autopsy didn't find alcohol in victim'

NEW DELHI: The family doctor of the woman, who was killed after being hit and dragged by a car here, rejected her friend's claims that she was heavily drunk on the night of the incident, saying the autopsy report did not find any trace of alcohol in her stomach.

The victim's friend, who was riding pillion on her scooty, had told the media that Anjali was drunk and had insisted on driving the two-wheeler on the fateful night.

Anjali was killed in the early hours of the New Year after her scooter was hit by a car, which dragged her for 12 kilometres. Her body was found in outer Delhi's Kanjhawala.

Five men who were allegedly in the car have been booked for culpable homicide among other sections. All five accused were sent to a three-day police custody on Monday.

"According to the autopsy report, there was food inside the stomach. If she would have been drunk, the report would have mentioned the presence of a chemical. But the report says only food has been detected (inside the stomach)," Bhupesh told reporters.

Bhupesh said this was not a normal murder.

"A murder is considered sadistic when a victim is brutally tortured before death. As per the autopsy report, she suffered 40 injuries," the doctor said.

The victim's friend had earlier said the five men accused of dragging the woman under their car killed her deliberately as they kept driving despite knowing she was stuck under the vehicle.

Recalling the fateful night, Anjali's friend, who was traced by the police after they examined the CCTV footage, said they had gone to meet some friends at a hotel on New Year eve and alleged that despite being 'drunk', the victim wanted to ride the scooter after the party.

Contrary to other eyewitness accounts, the victim's friend asserted that no music was playing in the car that hit them and claimed that the driver was aware that Anjali was being dragged under the wheels.

Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal cautioned against victim shaming and demanded a probe into the friend's claims.

The victim's friend said after the impact, Anjali got stuck under the car and was dragged by the vehicle, with its occupants not once trying to slow down or save the woman.

Anjali's friend said she did not inform anyone about the accident as she was scared and feared that she would be blamed for it.