Mumbai, April 2: A 25-year-old woman who did her MBA from the US and was in India for a job was raped by at least three men in Pune yesterday, hours after a court sentenced two persons to 10 years for a similar crime three years ago.
Two of the men have been arrested and a search is on for a third, though police sources said more persons could have been involved.
The woman, who is married and hails from Nagpur, had appeared for a job interview and was on her way to a seminar. In a hurry, she hitched a ride in what she thought was a private car doubling as a share taxi — a common practice in Pune.
The hospital administration graduate’s six-hour horror began a little after 4pm when she got into the car outside Rajiv Gandhi Technology Park at Hinjewadi, a new corporate hub on the outskirts of the city.
“The car was idling nearby on the road. There were two men inside. She asked them whether it would go to Bhandarkar Road (the seminar venue). The driver paused for a while, then nodded. So she hopped in,” said N.S. Bhosale-Patil, crime branch inspector of Hinjewadi police station.
Ganesh Uttam Kamble, who was at the wheel, told her a little later they would take a short cut since she was in a hurry. His associate Ranjit Shahaji Gade kept quiet. Minutes later, the third man, Subhash Heeralal Bhonsle, joined them.
The three drove around with the woman for nearly six hours around the outskirts of Pune, threatening to kill her if she tried to call or message anyone for help, the police said. Later, they took away her cellphone.
Kamble, who is being interrogated, told her first that the vehicle had developed a snag and took it to an isolated place, the police said, adding they suspected the woman was raped there. The cops believe more people were involved.
The woman had noted down the vehicle’s number showing a presence of mind rare in such moments.
“That (the number) helped us track down Kamble, who is the vehicle’s owner, and Gade from the nearby Maan village early today. Both are from Osmanabad. We will get the rest before Monday,” Patil said.
Bhonsle, who is absconding, was found to have a criminal background.
