Five held for twin rapes in Darjeeling

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Jul 24, 2018, Darjeeling: Two minor girls were raped in different parts of Darjeeling in the past two days sending shockwaves among the hill residents.

Police said preliminary investigation suggests that a 16-year-old was "gang-raped" near her residence on Saturday.

Four youths, Lakhu Subba, Wangdi Tamang, Kamal Mothay and Bigesh Mothay, all in their early 30's, were arrested on Sunday on charges of raping the 16-year-old.

The police are investigating whether the victim was repeatedly raped for over a period of time by the accused, sources said.

"Medical report of the victim suggests gang rape. Investigations are on and the four accused have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days' by a special POCSO court in Darjeeling," said Pranay Rai, public prosecutor.

In another incident, a 49-year-old man have been arrested on charges of raping a three-year-old girl.

Rama Shankar Shah, father of two sons, hails from Bihar's Muzaffarpur and had settled in Darjeeling four years ago. He runs a grocery shop in the hill town.

A police officer said: "Shah entered the house of the child, located across his shop, and found her with her father who was in an inebriated state. The mother of the kid was in the washroom when the child was raped. When she came out the washroom she found her daughter bleeding and also spotted Shah in the house. The girl was rushed to a hospital."

Shah was arrested on Sunday morning and he, too, has been remanded in judicial custody for two weeks, the police officer added.