Girl abducted from Kalka market was gangraped: Cops

KALKA/SOLAN: The abduction of an 18-year-old girl from a crowded Kalka market on Saturday had also resulted in her gangrape, said cops on Sunday. She had been taken to Civil Hospital, Solan, for medical tests after being rescued from the kidnappers.
The victim was going home at about 6.30pm when four youths — Sumit, Madan, Sushil and Vikrant — in a Maruti Zen (DL-7C-5286), taking advantage of the fog, allegedly kidnapped her just a few metres from a police post and took her in the uphill direction.The visibility was so bad that eyewitnesses were not even able to notice the car’s colour.
However, poetic justice prevailed when they met with an accident while fleeing. Witnesses reported the matter to the Panchkula police personnel, who informed the Solan police, which set up a barricade at Dharampur.
The accused came across the barricade at about 8.50pm. By that time, they had raped the girl, stated cops. They turned their car around to Kalka and the vehicle hit a truck parked a km down the road.
Panchkula cops said Sushil, hailing from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, had received a minor head injury and succeeded in fleeing from the spot. His accomplices — Sumit and Madan from Saharanpur and Vikrant, who also hails from Moradabad — got injured and couldn’t get away. They were taken into custody by Himachal Pradesh police.
As Sumit had grievous head injuries, he was immediately referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, where he reportedly underwent a surgery on Sunday. The other two received first aid at Dharampur hospital and were then shifted to PGI on Saturday night.
Solan SP Prem Singh Thakur said the victim was slightly bruised and an accident case had been registered at Dharampur police station under sections 279 and 337 of Indian Penal Code.
On the complaint of the victim’s mother, a case was registered at Kalka police station. Investigation officer Dharamvir Singh said following the victim’s statement, Section 376 (rape) of the IPC had been added to the FIR. He added that the accused were not acquainted with the victim before the crime.
A report from Panchkula said police there had recorded the statement of the victim before a duty magistrate. Cops added that the medical report confirmed rape. Panchkula SP Maneesh Chaudhary stated that the accused were heavily drunk.