A woman freelance journalist was left battling for life at New Delhi's Fortis Hospital following a brutal attack by unidentified assailants on Wednesday (April 5) evening when she went for a stroll at a public park around 6:15 pm near Ashok Vihar in North-west Delhi. The 45-year-old sustained severe brain injuries.
The motive behind the attack on Aparna Kalra, an experienced journalist, remains unclear. The attackers have also not been identified yet. Local residents admitted her in a hospital after they found Kalra, who has worked with several media houses, lying in a pool of blood in the park on Wednesday (April 5) evening.
The police said that a passer-by called to tell them about the attack on Kalra following which her family was called around 7:30 pm. Kalra was first admitted in Deep Chand Hospital from where she was shifted to Fortis Hospital because of the severe brain injury, including frontal-lobe fractures in her skull. Kalra regained consciousness for some time on Wedneday night and told the police that she had been attacked but fell unconscious later.
Kalra's uncle HC Bhatia told Hindustan Times that "she is critical as she has received multiple injuries to her brain nerves" and that some parts of her skull were missing due to the attack. "She is a brave woman, but we are not aware of her enmity with anyone," Bhatia added. He also said that the family initially thought she was attacked by people who tried to snatch her phone. However, they later found out that Kalra had left her phone at home and was not carrying any valuable items either.
The family said that no one came forward as eyewitness despite the park being a popular destination for morning and evening walkers. The police have registered a case of attempt to murder and reportedly said that she was attacked with iron rods. However, the police still have no idea about the possible suspects in the case.
"We have no eyewitnesses of this attack. We were informed about a woman lying unconscious in the park by a visitor. But the caller had not witnessed the attack," DCP (North-West) Milind Dumbre was quoted by HT as saying.
A doctor at the Fortis Hospital said Kalra was brought there by her sister on the advice of the authorities at Deep Chand Hospital. "She had a lot of fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) collection in her brain cavities, and underwent an emergency surgery to remove it at late night... As we speak, she is undergoing a repeat CT (computed tomography) scan to determine whether the fluid collection has stopped and to review her internal injuries," the doctor said.
