Gang-rape after police complaint

Ramashankar, TT, Patna, May 21: A woman was gang-raped in a running vehicle while returning from the office of the Bettiah range deputy inspector-general of police (DIG) in West Champaran district last night.

The woman, who is in her early-forties and is a resident of Turkaulia police station area in East Champaran, was found unconscious near Pipra Kothi, on the outskirts of the district headquarters town Motihari around 180km north of Patna, this morning.

Motihari civil surgeon Prashant Kumar said a medical team at Motihari Sadar hospital referred the woman to Patna Medical College and Hospital because her condition was serious. Her body bore bruises and the medical examination confirmed she was raped, according to reliable sources.

"She had gone to seek justice from the DIG as the local police were reluctant to take action against her neighbours who had beaten her up around a month ago," said a relative. "She was raped by Manoj Thakur, who had beaten her up earlier, and three of his accomplices."

Shashikala, a sub-inspector posted at Motihari Town police station, recorded the woman's statement after she regained consciousness at Motihari Sadar hospital.

According to police sources, the woman said she was waiting for a train at Bettiah station around 5pm when her neighbour Manoj offered her a lift. She said she agreed because she was getting late and the train was running hours behind schedule.

When she got into the SUV, she found three others inside. Before she could react, the vehicle started off.

The occupants forcibly drugged her and she fell unconscious, after which the four men raped her in the running SUV, according to the statement.

Motihari Town police station house officer Anand Kumar Singh said the case would be transferred to the Bettiah Government Railway Police. "Since the woman was admitted to the Sadar hospital, we were duty-bound to record her statement. The site of occurrence doesn't come under my jurisdiction," Singh said.

The woman told the police that she couldn't meet DIG (Bettiah range) Anil Kumar Singh as he had not come to office. The police told her that Singh, who is DIG of the Tirhut range with additional charge of Bettiah range, usually sits in Muzaffarpur.

Three days ago, a 15-year-old boy had tried to rape an eight-year-old girl in a village under the jurisdiction of Banjaria police station in East Champaran district. Motihari Sadar deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Pankaj Rawat said the local panchayat expelled the boy from the village.

"The accused's father gave in writing that he had no contact with his son. The girl's family refused to lodge a police complaint because of social stigma," the DSP said.