Dalit girl gang-raped by three students in university campus in Jodhpur
The girl and her friend were lured by the three men by posing as helpful people.
A 17-year-old minor Dalit girl was gang-raped and her 17-year-old friend was assaulted by three men in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan around 4 am on Sunday. The accused were arrested later in the day. According to the police, the girl had run away from her home with the boy on Saturday from Ajmer. The two reached Jodhpur by bus on Saturday night and were looking for a place to stay.
When the minors could not find a place to stay, they were approached by the three men near Pawata Circle and they offered to help according to DCP (East) Amrita Duhan. The accused, Samandar Singh, Bhattam Singh, and Dharampal Singh (aged 20-22) offered the teenagers food and suggested continuing their journey via train. The accused made the minors follow them to the railway line nearby and around 4 am, the group of five entered Jai Narayan Vyas University campus through a broken wall where two accused grabbed the boy, assaulted, and gagged him. They assaulted the girl and gang-raped her, according to the police officials.
Around 5 am, the three fled the scene after spotting some people on their morning walk. The boy took the help of a passerby who took them to the JNVU Old Campus police station. After getting the information, DCP Duhan and Police Commissioner Ravidutt Gaur arrived at the scene, according to the police, who also stated that the girl was rescued and transferred to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital for a medical evaluation.
“The girl has been counseled by the police and is currently under police protection. The minor boy is also under police protection,” said DCP Duhan. The families of the youngsters have been informed and are traveling to Jodhpur, according to police personnel. A first information report (FIR) was filed based on the minor girl’s complaint in accordance with Indian Penal Code section 376(g) (gang rape) and other provisions 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,” said a police officer. CM Ashok Gehlot spoke to the DGP Umesh Mishra and instructed him to ensure strict punishment to the accused for such a heinous crime. A police officer added that the accused were canvassing for a student leader seeking a ticket from ABVP for student elections. ABVP, however, has denied any links with the accused.
