Minor Gang-Raped in MP's Pachmarhi Forest; Three Held Within Six Hours
Three men were arrested in Madhya Pradesh for allegedly gang-raping a 17-year-old girl in a forest near Pachmarhi. Police acted within six hours of the complaint.
Police in Madhya Pradesh have arrested three men for the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in a forested area near the tourist town of Pachmarhi. The arrests were made within six hours of the survivor filing a complaint, officials said on Monday.
The incident occurred on the 19th of this month. According to the police, the teenager was walking home with a male acquaintance when a friend of the acquaintance arrived with two other men. The group allegedly forced the pair to a secluded spot in the forest, where they intimidated them and sexually assaulted the girl.
The accused reportedly dropped the survivor and her acquaintance back at a familiar location before threatening them with consequences if they disclosed the assault. The case came to light when the girl approached the Pachmarhi police station to report the crime.
Following the complaint, multiple police teams were deployed to trace the suspects. All three accused were apprehended within hours and have confessed to the crime, according to Narmadapuram Additional Superintendent of Police Abhishek Rajan. They are being produced before a court.
A case has been registered under Section 70(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with gang rape, along with relevant provisions for voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, and common intention. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) has also been invoked, given the survivor's age.