Dalit girl gangraped by three on university campus in Jodhpur in front of boyfriend
A Dalit minor was allegedly gang-raped and her 17-year-old friend assaulted by three men in Jodhpur district in Rajasthan around 4am on Sunday, police said, adding that the accused were arrested later in the day.
According to police, the 17-year-old girl from Ajmer had run away from home with a minor boy on Saturday. The two reached Jodhpur by bus on Saturday night and were looking for a place to stay near the bus stand.
“The minors could not find a place to stay… they were walking on the road when three men approached them near Pawata Circle and offered to help them,” deputy commissioner of police (East) Amrita Duhan said.
The accused – Samandar Singh (21), Bhattam Singh (22) and Dharmpal Singh (21) — offered the two teens food and suggested that they should continue their journey ahead via train, police said.
The accused made the two minors follow them to the railway line near the Pawata circle, police said, adding that the five kept walking through the night. Around 4am, the group entered a university campus through a broken wall, where the two accused grabbed the minor boy, assaulted him and gagged him, police said, adding that after this, they assaulted the girl and gang-raped her, police said.
Around 5am, the three men fled after spotting a couple of people out on a morning walk, police said. The minor boy took help of the passersby who took them to JNVU Old Campus police station, police said.
DCP Duhan and police commissioner Ravidutt Gaur reached the spot after receiving the information, police said, adding that the girl was rescued and taken to Mahatma Gandhi hospital for a medical examination.
“The girl has been counselled by the police and is currently under police protection… the minor boy is also under police protection,” the DCP said.
According to police officers, the minors’ families have been informed and are on way to Jodhpur.
Based on the minor girl’s complaint, a first information report (FIR) was registered under 376(g) (gang rape) of the Indian Penal Code and other sections of the Protection of Children Under Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
“One of the accused was identified based on CCTV footage… when police went to arrest him, they found the other two accused as well,” a police officer said.
“Police have collected forensic evidence… we will try to present the charge sheet within a week. Once that is done, the police will seek a fast-track trial in the case,” Duhan said.