A Class IX student was allegedly abducted at gunpoint in front of her friends and gang-raped in a forest under Kharsidag thana outpost in Namkum, around 35km from the city, on Sunday night.
Police have arrested five men in their twenties and are looking for a sixth. The 15-year-old girl has been hospitalised and her medical report is awaited.
DSP (HQ-II) Amit Renu said the incident took place when a group of around 20 students, including the minor girl, were returning to Ranchi after celebrating the birthday of one among them at Remta Dam in neighbouring Khunti district.
The youngsters were riding bikes in groups of two or three. The gang rape survivor was riding pillion with a male friend in his twenties and another girl of her age, Namkum police said.
Around 7.30pm, when they were crossing a blind turn in Banghara area, the gang of six armed with pistols and knives intercepted them.
“First, the youths played moral police and chided the girls for travelling with a man late in the evening. Next, they grabbed hold of the victim and dragged her away at gunpoint. The other girl was also targeted, but she somehow managed to break free and run,” said Namkum thana OC Praveen Kumar.
The teenager’s male friend alerted the others and together they mobilised support of villagers to launch a search.
“One of the accused, identified as Prem Kachchap, was caught first. A PCR van soon took him into custody. On being grilled, he revealed names of his accomplices who had fled on seeing villagers flashing torches,” OC Kumar said, adding that the student was rescued around 9.30pm after she managed to make her way to Ring Road once her tormentors fled.
DSP Renu confirmed five arrests within a couple of hours of the rescue. Weapons used in intimidating the students are yet to be recovered though.
“All the accused are residents of Kharsidag area. Those arrested have been identified as Subhas Munda of Churu village, Vikas Nayak of Lalkhatanga village, Ravi Minz of Jojo village and David Horo of Banglatoli, besides Kachchap who is also a native of Churu. A sixth person, Manoj alias Mota, a resident of Jojo, is on the run. Raids are being conducted,” the DSP said.
A policeman in Namkum said the quintet did not have any criminal record. They have now been booked under the Pocso Act, besides Sections 376D (gang rape), 362 (abduction), 352 (criminal assault), and 34 (common intention) of the IPC. Section 376D invites a maximum punishment of rigorous imprisonment for not less than 20 years, which may extend to imprisonment for life.
“We are investigating if the gang was involved in other crimes in the past. The girl is traumatised and is in hospital. Her medical report is awaited. This is a shocking incident and we will build a strong case against the accused,” DSP Renu added.
