3 held in K'taka for gang rape of woman

Mangaluru, April 17 (IANS) Karnataka Police on Thursday arrested three individuals in connection with the alleged gang rape of a woman from West Bengal, officials said.

The victim has filed a police complaint regarding the incident.

She has been admitted to the hospital, and the police are awaiting the medical report to confirm the occurrence of gang rape.

The accused were arrested within 24 hours of the complaint being lodged.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Prabhuraj, a resident of Mulki, and Mani and Mithun, residents of Kumpala.

According to the victim, she was gang-raped.

The Ullal police have registered a case and are currently investigating the matter.

Mangaluru Superintendent of Police (SP), Anupam Agarwal, said that the incident took place around midnight on Wednesday.

At 1:30 a.m., police received a call on emergency helpline 112 reporting that a young woman was being assaulted and was shouting for help.

The police rushed to the scene immediately and shifted the woman to the hospital.

She is currently undergoing treatment, the SP added.

The victim alleged that she was forced to consume alcohol, after which she lost consciousness.

She also said that three individuals were involved, and when she regained consciousness, she found her undergarments missing.

Upon realising what had happened, the woman began shouting, prompting the accused to flee the scene.

She then managed to contact local residents and call the police, the SP added.

Based on the victim's statement, a case of sexual assault has been registered.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the woman hails from the Cooch Behar region of West Bengal.

She had previously worked at a plywood factory in Kerala and had come to Mangaluru on Wednesday with a friend in search of a new job.

However, following an argument with her friend -- during which he reportedly damaged her phone -- she left and took an auto-rickshaw to repair the device.

She spent nearly five to six hours with the auto driver, who also paid for the phone repair. She then requested to be dropped at the railway station to return to West Bengal.

Instead of taking her to the station, the accused allegedly took her to a different location and called two of his friends.

They reportedly forced her to consume alcohol until she lost consciousness.

When she regained her senses, she realised that she had been sexually assaulted.

The victim has claimed that she was raped, and the police will confirm the allegation through medical examination, the SP said.

--IANS

mka/khz