‘Lock-In’ Plot in Delhi: Family Traps Cops, Helps Sexual Assault Suspect Escape

Police responding to a sexual assault inquiry were allegedly ensnared in a calculated “lock-in” plot inside the accused’s fourth-floor residence in North Delhi's Sarai Rohilla. The dramatic incident unfolded when a sub-inspector and a head constable arrived at the house around 7:30 pm on April 8, acting on the suspect’s son’s claim that his father was too ill to report to the police station.

Inside, the officers found the accused waiting, surrounded by a family that appeared unusually welcoming, raising little suspicion at first. The situation took a turn as questioning began. One of the sons quietly slipped away towards the entrance, and moments later, the lock clicked shut and the officers were confined.

The suspect suddenly claimed an urgent need to use the washroom, with his family insisting he be allowed upstairs. As the sub-inspector directed his colleague to follow, the suspect’s wife allegedly intervened, physically blocking access, adding to the confusion.

Amid the mounting chaos, the second son reportedly seized the moment, escorting the accused to the upper floor and locking it behind him. Simultaneously, the wife secured the main gate to their level, effectively isolating the officers.

By the time the trapped personnel alerted the police station and reinforcements rushed in, the suspect had allegedly slipped away through an upper-storey window, vanishing into the night.

Police have since launched a manhunt, deploying multiple teams to track down the absconding accused. A case has been registered against the family under sections 221 (obstructing a public servant), 127 (wrongful confinement), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.