A 19-year-old biotechnology student is fighting for her life after being subjected to horrific torture by her live-in partner in the National Capital Region (NCR). Within three days, a case was reported involving extreme physical abuse, sexual assault, and a horrifying attempt to set the victim on fire using hand sanitizer at a paying guest (PG) accommodation in Sector 69, Gurugram.
A Relationship Built on Deceit
The victim, originally from Tripura, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from a private university. She met the accused, Shivam (19), a native of Narela, Delhi, through an online dating app in September 2025. According to the First Information Report (FIR), Shivam allegedly lured the woman into a physical relationship with a false promise of marriage.
Eventually, the couple moved into a PG in Gurugram, where their families were supposedly discussing their wedding. However, the relationship quickly deteriorated, and Shivam became suspicious of her character, leading to a culture of confinement that only resulted in more violence.
The Night of Horror: February 16–19
The violence reached a peak on February 16. According to the victim's testimony at Safdarjung Hospital, Shivam allegedly launched a brutal attack during a dispute about marriage. He reportedly smashed her head repeatedly against a wall and household furniture, and struck her with a heavy metal bottle and an earthen pot. The torture took a sinister turn when the accused allegedly poured hand sanitizer on the victim's private parts and set them on fire, filming the gruesome act on his mobile phone.
The victim further alleged that she was attacked with a knife on her legs and threatened that she would be beaten so badly she "would never be able to walk or become a mother." She was held in wrongful confinement for two days, unable to seek help, until she finally communicated by cell phone with her mother on the night of February 18. Using her native Bengali—a language Shivam did not speak she pleaded for rescue. Her mother immediately contacted the police via the 112 emergency helpline.
Rescue and Legal Action
Gurugram Police rescued the survivor on February 19 and admitted her to a local government hospital early on. Due to the severity of her burns and head injuries, she was referred to AIIMS and later to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where she was initially declared “unfit to give a statement.”
On February 22, officials stated she remained stable but critical. Shivam, the accused, has been arrested and placed in judicial custody. The police invoked multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), such as Section 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 118 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 127 (wrongful confinement), and Section 69 (sexual intercourse by deceitful means). Additional sexual charges of rape and attempted murder are expected to be added to the case according to the victim’s statement and further medical reports.
