India: Three men arrested in Delhi for gang raping Odisha-based woman

Three people have been arrested for gang-raping a woman suffering from mental illness, in Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan last month, the police said on Thursday (Nov 7).

The woman, from the Indian state ofOdisha who shifted to New Delhi months ago, was kidnapped and gang raped in October.

The 34-year-old womanis currently receiving psychiatric treatment at AIMS, Delhi, after the alleged gang rape that happened on October 10.

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Three accused have been identified as Prabhu Mahto, Parmod Babu and Mohammad Shamsul, news agency ANI reported.

Delhi police said that on the night of October 10 and 11, a naval officer found a young woman soaked in blood on the roadside in the Sarai Kale Khan area. The officer then admitted the young woman to the AIIMS Trauma Centre and informed the police.

After the medical reports came, it became clear that the woman had been raped.

The police said that shecame to New Delhi on May 9 without informing her family, after which her family filed a missing person’s report in Puri.

The woman holds a postgraduate degree in social work from Utkal University of Culture, Bhubaneshwar and has worked as a researcher.

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IPS DCP-South East Ravi Kumar Singh said, "On October 11, at approximately 03:15 am, a PCR call was received at Police Station Sunlight Colony. The caller reported the presence of a girl in Sarai Kale Khan's area. The girl was described as wearing a red kurta, bleeding and the caller expressed concern that the girl might have been injured or subjected to wrongful assault. The police staff immediately reached at the spot where the victim was found in a distressed state and promptly transported her to AIIMS Trauma Centre for medical examination. The victim disclosed to the attending doctor that she had been sexually assaulted by three unknown persons. The victim was found to be unfit for statement.”

As the investigation continued, 10 police teams were probing to apprehend the accused. Following this, they nabbed three accused persons after an over 20-day relentless search.

"After sustained efforts, the auto-rickshaw of the accused person was correctly identified and the driver on the night of October 10 as Prabhu Mahto. Thereafter, sustained efforts were made to track the accused and he was arrested on October 30. Subsequently, the other accused persons Pramod Babu and Mohammad Shamsul @ Raju were also identified and arrested in the present case on November 2 and November 4," Singh added.

Accused Parmod Babu, who is an alcohol addict, said that he closed his shop as per his usual routine and had alcohol.

"He noticed a girl sitting nearby. Shortly after, another accused Mohammad Shamshul, a beggar, alcohol addict and physically handicapped arrived at the scene. Both accused persons conspired to sexually assault the girl, assuming she was mentally unsound and an easy target. Together they forcibly dragged the girl to a deserted area to commit the crime. An auto driver-accused Prabhu Mahto witnessed the incident and joined them with the intent of getting involved in the crime. Subsequently, accused Prabhu Mahto forced the girl in his auto and raped her. Thereafter the accused dumped the victim towards Sarai Kale Khan and drove away," Singh said, according to ANI.

(With inputs from agencies)