Mangaluru: In a deeply disturbing incident, three men have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 20-year-old woman at Kallapu, a remote area on the outskirts of Mangaluru, on Wednesday night.

According to Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal, the survivor, a native of Cooch Behar in West Bengal, had been living in Uppala, Kerala, and working at a plywood factory for the past two years. She had travelled to Mangaluru on April 16 in search of better job prospects, accompanied by a friend. The two rented a place in the city, but an argument between them later that day led to her leaving abruptly. Her mobile phone was also damaged during the altercation, leaving her unable to reach out for help.

While attempting to get her phone fixed, she hailed an auto. The driver, later identified as Prabhuraj Pujari (38) from Mulki, offered to help and took her to a mobile repair shop, even paying for the service. Gaining her trust, he then called two of his friends — Mithun Naik (30), an electrician from Kumpala, and Mani Kanta (30), a delivery agent from Mangaluru. The trio allegedly lured her to an abandoned house in Kallapu, forced her to consume alcohol, and then sexually assaulted her.

The survivor escaped and sought help from a nearby residence around 12:30 am. The resident, noticing her injuries, alerted emergency services immediately.

CCTV footage and a digital payment of ₹60 made to the auto helped police identify the accused. All three men have confessed and are in custody, facing charges under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation is ongoing, and the woman is currently under medical care.

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