In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through Delhi’s medical fraternity, a doctor from Safdarjung Hospital was allegedly raped by a man posing as an Indian Army officer, police sources told NDTV on Monday.
The accused, identified as Aarav, a resident of Chhatarpur, Delhi, worked as a delivery agent but pretended to be a Lieutenant in the Army when he first contacted the doctor on Instagram. According to investigators, he built trust through weeks of online conversations, later shifting their chats to WhatsApp, where he claimed to be posted in Jammu and Kashmir and even shared photographs of himself in a fake Army uniform.
Police said Aarav travelled to Delhi earlier this month and visited the doctor’s residence in Masjid Moth, where he allegedly drugged her food and sexually assaulted her. The survivor regained consciousness hours later and approached the Safdarjung Enclave Police Station to file a complaint on October 16.
Following a series of raids in Chhatarpur, the Delhi Police arrested Aarav. During interrogation, he reportedly confessed that he had purchased the Army uniform from a shop to maintain his deception.
Authorities said further investigation is underway to determine whether the accused has previously targeted other women using similar tactics.
This horrifying incident marks the second major case of sexual assault involving a doctor within days.
In Maharashtra’s Satara district, a woman doctor posted at a government hospital died by suicide last week, leaving behind handwritten notes accusing a policeman and another man of harassment and rape. The deceased, originally from Beed district in Marathwada, was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan town on Thursday night.
In her notes, she alleged that Sub-Inspector Gopal Badane had raped her multiple times over five months, while Prashant Bankar mentally harassed her. Both accused men were later arrested. Badane surrendered at the Phaltan Rural Police Station on Saturday evening, hours after Bankar’s detention earlier that day.
The twin cases, one involving impersonation and another highlighting systemic abuse, have reignited concerns over women’s safety in professional spaces, particularly in the medical community that often works under intense pressure and long hours.
Police officials have urged the public to exercise caution in online interactions and to verify professional claims before establishing personal contact.
