Banka, May 25: An engineering student from Biharsharif last evening married his girlfriend who had been gang raped on Bounsi Hill by three cattle grazers on Tuesday.

Chandramani Singh (24), a resident of Biharsharif, today left from Bounsi for the Nalanda district headquarters with his new bride. While the wedding ceremony was solemnised on Friday evening in the presence of family members of the bride and groom, the couple registered their marriage at the Banka district registry office in the morning.

Singh said: “I was helpless and could not stop the rapists from committing the heinous crime in front of me. The police arrested two of the accused while a search operation is on to arrest the third. But thinking of her (the victim) safety and security, I decided to marry her.”

Singh and the 19-year-old victim, a resident of Barahat in Banka district, had set out last Tuesday to climb the Bounsi Hill, a popular tourist destination in eastern Bihar.

Three cattle grazers followed them and taking advantage of the deserted surrounding atop the hill, overpowered the duo and raped the girl.

An FIR was lodged at Bounsi police station. By the next morning, two of the rapists were arrested, while the third accused is absconding.

Hiralal Mandal, a BJP leader in Banka, said the victim had asked Singh to marry her to which the engineering student agreed after informing his family members. He added that two brothers-in-law of the boy arrived from Biharsharif to witness the wedding.

Mandal had helped the duo reach Barahat police station after they had climbed down the Bounsi Hill through a different route.

Sonelal Hembrom, BJP MLA from Katoria Assembly, who attended the wedding, said the ceremony was solemnised at the Bhagwan Madhusudhan temple near Bounsi Hill. Banka district magistrate Deepak Anand said according to the state welfare department norms for an inter-caste marriage, the couple would be provided Rs 25,000.