Bengaluru: The Whitefield division police have arrested four people on charges of abducting a 17-year-old girl and gang-raping her for 10 days at a lodge in Whitefield.
The police have identified the accused as Raghavendra, 26, a native of Udupi, Manoranjan Das, 52, from West Bengal, Sagar, 22, from Davangere and Manju Raj, 32 from Mysuru.
According to the police, Manoranjan Das was running the lodge on lease basis. They said the prime accused Raghavendra had recently befriended the victim, a PU girl student. He took the girl to the lodge on October 26, the police said.
The victim, however, in her complaint stated that she was waiting at Kadugodi railway station for a female friend to attend a party. Two men turned up claiming they were sent by her friend to take her to the party. The victim accompanied the duo to the Classic Inn Lodge.
The girl was then sexually assaulted by Raghavendra followed by his friends Das, Sagar and Raj. The accused kept the victim locked in one of the rooms for 10 days, the police said.
Victim’s father lodged a missing complaint on Oct 30 at the K R Puram police station. The Whitefield division police based on a tip-off traced her to the lodge and rescued her. “Since the victim is a minor, even if she had gone with Raghavendra with her consent, it amounts to kidnap and sexual assault under POCSO Act,” said Abdul Ahad, Deputy Commissioner of Police.
The police have registered a case against the accused under the Sections 376 D, 368, 363, 343, 504, 506 and POCSO Act.
