Close X
Saturday, November 23, 2024
ADVT 
India

Minor's Gang Rape: Soldier Sent To Custody, Army Assures Cooperation

Darpan News Desk IANS, 29 Dec, 2015 12:59 PM
    A West Bengal court on Tuesday sent to seven days police custody a soldier arrested for the gang rape of a teenaged girl inside a train, while the army assured assistance to police in nabbing two of its personnel alleged to have committed the crime.
     
    The 14-year-old girl, hailing from Dum Dum in Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, was allegedly raped by two army men after forcing her to drink alcohol inside a reserved military compartment of the Howrah-Amritsar Express.
     
    The girl, who boarded the train from Howrah on her way to Ludhiana, was rescued in a joint effort by Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel at Madhupur station in Jharkhand on Monday.
     
    While two of the alleged culprits managed to escape, the third personnel, accused to have forced the girl to drink, was arrested by the GRP and handed over to the Howrah GRP which has now taken over the investigation.
     
    Charged with several offences including under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the arrested accused -- identified as Manjrish Tripathi -- was presented before a court in Howrah which sent him to police custody for seven days.
     
    The girl, who identified the accused in a video footage, also deposed before the magistrate.
     
    "We had sought seven days custody of the accused which the court granted us. We are studying the video footage of the train to ascertain the identity and locate the two absconding accused. We are confident of apprehending them soon," said a GRP officer.
     
    "The victim also recorded her statement before the magistrate and we are interrogating the accused to gather more information about the two absconding accused," the officer added.
     
    A medical examination conducted on the girl confirmed rape.
     
    The girl was rescued after the GRP received a complaint from her father that she fled home and boarded the train.
     
    According to the family, the girl had left her house unannounced to meet a man in Ludhiana whom she had befriended on a social networking site.
     
    The army, which has initiated a probe in the matter, assured it would assist police in locating the accused soldiers.
     
    "We have assured full cooperation to the Howrah GRP which is now investigating the case. We have also initiated a probe into the matter. We are assisting the investigators in identifying and tracking the two accused," said an army source.
     
    Meanwhile, the All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO), a students' organisation affiliated to the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), staged a demonstration in the city demanding capital punishment for the alleged rapists.
     
    Staging the demonstration outside Raj Bhavan here, some of AIDSO activists were arrested after they clashed with police.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Badal To Amarinder Singh: Shun Confrontation, Adopt Consensus

    Badal To Amarinder Singh: Shun Confrontation, Adopt Consensus
    Addressing the second 'Sadbhawna Rally' of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal here, Badal said that he was ready to sacrifice his life to ensure peace in Punjab.

    Badal To Amarinder Singh: Shun Confrontation, Adopt Consensus

    Prashant Bhushan Slams Kejriwal Government's Lokpal Bill

    Prashant Bhushan Slams Kejriwal Government's Lokpal Bill
     Terming the anti-graft Jan Lokpal bill drafted by the Arvind Kejriwal government a watered-down version of the original legislation, expelled AAP leader Prashant Bhushan on Saturday denounced it as a farce and a fraud on the people.

    Prashant Bhushan Slams Kejriwal Government's Lokpal Bill

    'Get Out!' Haryana Health Minister Tells Woman Officer, She Stays Put - Watch!

    'Get Out!' Haryana Health Minister Tells Woman Officer, She Stays Put - Watch!
    Haryana's outspoken Health and Sports Minister Anil Vij on Friday ordered a woman police officer to "get out" of a meeting. When she refused, he himself stormed out in a huff.

    'Get Out!' Haryana Health Minister Tells Woman Officer, She Stays Put - Watch!

    No Breakthrough On GST In Modi-Congress Meet, More Talks Soon

    No Breakthrough On GST In Modi-Congress Meet, More Talks Soon
    The Congress party leaders would be discussing it within their own party and there would be after sometime a fresh contact between the government and them to discuss the subject further

    No Breakthrough On GST In Modi-Congress Meet, More Talks Soon

    Patiala Journalist Baltej Pannu Arrested In Rape Case

    Patiala Journalist Baltej Pannu Arrested In Rape Case
    Patiala district police have arrested radio and social media commentator Baltej Pannu in a rape case lodged by a social activist.

    Patiala Journalist Baltej Pannu Arrested In Rape Case

    RSS India's No.1 Terror Group: Former Mumbai Police Officer

    RSS India's No.1 Terror Group: Former Mumbai Police Officer
    Claiming that RSS activists have been indicted in at least 13 terror cases across India, former Maharashtra inspector general of police S.M. Mushrif on Thursday described the Hindutva outfit as India's No.1 terrorist organisation.

    RSS India's No.1 Terror Group: Former Mumbai Police Officer