UP: NEET aspirant, boyfriend attacked by men; girl gang-raped
What's the story
A 19-year-old National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) aspirant was allegedly gang-raped by three men in Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot district. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon in Devangana Valley, around 12km from the district headquarters, The Times of India The victim, a resident of Madhya Pradesh's Satna and NEET aspirant staying in Kota, Rajasthan, had come to visit her boyfriend, a 17-year-old class XII student, whom she met on social media.
Assault details
Accused posed as forest department officials
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the couple was sitting on a hill when three men came on another motorcycle.
They posed as forest department officials and questioned the couple before assaulting the boy with a belt.
The accused then tied his hands and feet with a gamchha (traditional Indian cloth). After overpowering him, they allegedly dragged the girl into nearby bushes and gang-raped her.
Rescue efforts
Boyfriend alerted police after managing to free himself
After the incident, the boyfriend managed to free himself and alert the police. He found mobile network coverage some distance away and called for help.
A police response vehicle reached the spot and took both victims to a hospital. The woman underwent a medical examination while her boyfriend was treated for his injuries before being discharged.
Case progress
Suspects detained for questioning
An FIR has been registered based on the woman's complaint.
Police are now scanning CCTV footage from roads leading out of the area, which reportedly shows three men leaving on a motorcycle after the incident.
Suspects have been detained for questioning while efforts continue to identify and trace the remaining suspects.
Two teams have been formed to investigate this case using multiple leads, including CCTV footage and technical evidence.
Witness accounts
Police secure CCTV footage to identify perpetrators
A police officer associated with the investigation told TOI, "We have recorded the statement of a local resident who reportedly witnessed the accused arriving at the spot and assaulting the couple."
The officer added that they have also secured CCTV footage that could help identify the perpetrators.
Additional DG, Prayagraj Zone, Jyoti Narayan visited the crime scene on Thursday and directed police teams to expedite their probe into this incident.