In a shocking incident, a young woman was seriously injured when a 25-year-old man working with a local power distribution company allegedly assaulted her brutally by shoving an iron rod into her mouth while attempting to rape her.

Police arrested the man today on charges of attempt to murder and rape while the girl is admitted to a private hospital where her condition was stated to be critical.

Anil, who works with a local power distribution company, had come to the house of the girl at around 8.30 PM on Monday to collect monthly electricity dues.

Since the girl knew him, she let him inside the house in Lajpat Nagar.

"After coming to know that the girl was alone at her house, he tried to force himself on her and assaulted her",  Police said.The man inserted a rod into her mouth when she resisted his attempt to rape her.

"She sustained severe injuries in her mouth and the attempted strangulation had left bruises all around her neck", Ajay Chaudhry, Additional Commissioner of Police, South East District, said.

He said the man has been booked under Sec 376 (rape), 307 (attempt to murder) and 452 (trespass) among other sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Chaudhry said Anil knew the girl and lived in Jal Vihar camp in Lajpat Nagar.

Police received a call and when they reached the spot the victim was already shifted to a hospital and the accused had escaped.

"Further enquiries showed that Anil’s maternal uncle lived at village Ismailpur, Faridabad, and Anil could be hiding at his house. Based on this information, the police team raided the house in Ismailpur and apprehended Anil at 04:30 am today", he said.