Bengaluru: 5 men held for gang-raping Tamil Nadu student
Five men have been arrested in Bengaluru after a 19-year-old student from Tamil Nadu reported being gang-raped at a Jakkur villa on February 14-15, 2026.
The prime accused, Nikhil HD (34), and an accused, Dixon Santra (21), who allegedly befriended her on Instagram, invited her to a party under the guise of romance, and allegedly drugged her before the assault.
Accused offered the victim a drink before assaulting her
The student arrived at the villa with a friend. After being introduced to Nikhil, she was allegedly forced to take a pill that left her semi-conscious; two men then assaulted her while she was incapacitated.
She refrained from filing a complaint initially out of fear; she received medical treatment on February 17, posted on Instagram on February 18, informed her brother who is abroad, and filed a complaint on February 21-22.
Three more suspects—Anirudh (who had allegedly assisted in booking the IPS officer-owned villa), Shravan, and Mohit Jain—were later held; police said some accused provided logistical support, including arranging vehicles.
The case is under investigation by Deputy Commissioner GK Mithun Kumar, with attention on how the property was used and each suspect's role.