Gujarat: Four held for raping college student in Dahod

VADODARA: Four persons were held on Saturday for abducting and raping a 19-year-old girl in Dahod . The girl, who studies in a local college, was allegedly abducted by her lover on August 16.

According to the police, Ajit Bariya took the girl away after her classes ended on August 16. They rode towards Rampura village in the forest area where Bariya stopped his bike and started touching her inappropriately.

When she protested the act, three other persons reached the spot and they tied Bariya to a tree and also thrashed him. Later they raped the girl taking turns before fleeing the spot after robbing the duo of their belongings.

The duo took help from passers-by and informed Dahod rural police about the incident. Based on their complaint, cops lodged an offence of abduction, rape, robbery and assault against Bariya and the three men who are yet to be identified. Police said that they have also checked the area where the crime was committed. The three accused — Manu Palas, Shailesh Damor and Surmal Mavi — were arrested on Saturday through their bike’s registration number. During interrogation they admitted of raping the girl and also robbing the duo.

“We have arrested Bariya, too, as he had promised of marrying the woman and took her for a ride, but tried to outrage her modesty at a secluded spot in the forest despite her protests,” said a police official.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)