Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Girl gang-raped in Patna: Three arrested

July 26, 2012 20:36 IST

Bihar police on Thursday arrested three accused in the alleged gang-rape of a teenage girl in Patna by her friends and classmates. The accused had filmed the incident and distributed CDs and MMS's of the crime, police on Thursday said.

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Amrit Raj said that three of the five accused in the case were arrested. "The police will arrest the other two accused soon," he added 

A day after the Patna CJM court issued a arrest warrant against the main accused, Prashant Jha, taking cognisance of the case suo motu, police made the arrest.

According to Amrit Raj, police arrested Jha from Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, while Rahul, another accused, was arrested from Jalandhar in Punjab and Armaan was arrested from Chapra in Bihar.

Police said that all the accused absconded after the incident came to light a few days ago.

An FIR was lodged in a local police station by Bihar Women's Commission following a hue and cry by 
opposition

leaders and activists. They had even brought out a candlelight march and staged a dharna to protest the failure of the police to take action against the accused, who are said to be sons of rich and influential people.

Police officials said that the alleged incident took place at Rajvanshi Nagar in Patna on June 14.

The commission took suo moto cognisance of the report and its members took down the victim's statement. Later, the police too recorded the victim's statement.

The girl, a Class XI student, on June 14 reportedly confirmed that she was gang-raped by five boys. "All the accused had studied with her till class 10 at a reputed school here," the police said.

A senior police official associated with the investigation said that after filming the act the boys blackmailed her into submitting again and again.

Due to fear and social stigma the victim's family has not come forward till date.

M I Khan in Patna