New Delhi, Sept. 23 -- On June 26 last year, two friends were attacked while on a walk at Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji temple. With no guards nearby to stop them, the two attackers escaped - and returned three days later to rob a jogger. This time, however, they were caught. More than a year later, on Monday evening, the unsavoury reputation of this park, one of Delhi's biggest, is back the headlines. Three men exploited the same security lapses to gang-rape a 17-year-old girl between 7.30 and 8.30pm.

Spread over a sprawling 142 acres with lush greenery, the park is meant to be a secluded haven from the hustle and bustle of city life. But only during the day. At night, the same seclusion, locals say, have turned the park into a "hub" fo...