Alleged assault on terrace, arrest after city-wide search
A security guard was arrested in Ahmedabad after an alleged sexual assault of a woman on the terrace of a housing society in the Anandnagar area late on Saturday night, police said on Monday. The accused was shot in the leg while reportedly attempting to flee during custody transfer, and a police constable also sustained a gunshot injury, officials added.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Sector-1) Neeraj Badgujar identified the accused as Dharam Singh, who hails from Hardoi district in Uttar Pradesh. Badgujar said Singh had joined duty at the society only four days prior to the incident.
"Singh had started working as a security guard in the society just four days ago," Badgujar said.
Sequence of events and police action
Police said the woman had gone up to the society terrace for a walk when Singh allegedly blocked and sexually assaulted her and then locked her on the terrace before fleeing. CCTV footage, examined by investigators, showed the guard accessing the terrace using both the elevator and stairwell, officials said.
Following the complaint, ten teams from the local police, the local crime branch and the city crime branch analysed CCTV clips from the vicinity and conducted a search operation that culminated in Singh's arrest near the Hebatpur area at around 7–8 am the next morning.
Inadequate verification by hiring agency flagged
Police noted that the accused had previously worked as a security guard with several companies in Ahmedabad before his latest posting at the Anandnagar society. On preliminary examination, investigators said the security agency that had employed him appeared, on the face of it, to have failed in conducting proper background verification, collecting basic personal details or providing adequate training.
Badgujar added that Singh tried to evade arrest by switching off his mobile phone. During custody transfer, police said the accused attempted to flee and was shot in the leg. A constable also received a bullet injury in the incident; police did not provide details on the constable's condition beyond confirming the injury.
Implications for housing societies and private security sector
The episode highlights longstanding concerns about vetting and oversight of private security personnel deployed in gated communities and residential societies across Ahmedabad. Housing societies often rely on contractor-run agencies for guard recruitment, and failures in background checks or training can have direct consequences for resident safety.
- Accused: Dharam Singh, from Hardoi (Uttar Pradesh); joined duty at the society four days before the incident.
- Location: Terrace of a housing society in Anandnagar, Ahmedabad; arrested near Hebatpur.
- Police action: Ten teams (local police, local crime branch, city crime branch) examined CCTV and located the accused by 7–8 am.
Officials said they will probe the hiring agency’s compliance with statutory requirements for background checks and training. The incident is expected to prompt housing societies to re-examine contractor agreements and verification protocols for security staff.
| Detail | As reported |
|---|---|
| Date of incident | Late Saturday night (reported August 9, 2026) |
| Arrest | Approximately 7–8 am near Hebatpur |
| Police teams | Ten teams (local police, local crime branch, crime branch) |
Investigations remain under way. Police have not published details of formal charges or the accused’s medical status beyond the reported gunshot injury. Further procedural steps, including registration of an FIR and forensic examination of the scene and CCTV, are likely as the probe continues.
