Muzaffarnagar: Baby held hostage, mother 'gang-raped' in front of husband
In a horrific incident, a woman was allegedly gang-raped at gunpoint by four men in front of her husband and infant in Muzaffarnagar, UP. The alleged victim claimed the men threatened to kill their son if she didn't comply. They also beat up the husband. Police said she and her husband have been taken for medical examination. A hunt is on for the accused.
The family of three was returning home on a motorbike when they were intercepted by the four men who were in a car. They were carrying weapons. They then tied up the husband and held a knife to the kid's throat while dragging her out to nearby fields and raping her. Before fleeing, they warned them not to inform the police.
Police are awaiting medical report of the alleged victim. Meanwhile, a probe has been launched into the incident. A case has been lodged under Sections 323, 376D and 506 against the four unidentified men.
Women's safety record in the northern state is grim. There has been a decrease: in 2001, UP registered 12.27 cases out of every 100 rapes, which fell to 8.73 in 2015. Conviction rate also rose by about 30% during the same period. However, a large number of cases often go unreported due to political pressure and caste hierarchies.
