In a shocking incident, eight people have been accused of gang-raping a woman onboard a train headed to Maharashtra’s Mumbai from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Four of the accused have been arrested while search is on for the rest.
On Friday night, eight people, carrying blades, boarded the he Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express’ sleeper coach in Maharashtra’s Igatpuri town, about 120 km from the state capital, and started robbing the passengers onboard, officials said. Quaiser Khalid, Mumbai GRP’s Police Commissioner, said the alleged crime was committed when the express train was traversing the ghat section.
Giving information about the incident and the action taken by the police, Khalid said in a tweet, “The accused boarded Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express at Igatpuri (Aurangabad Railway district) in sleeper bogie D-2 and started committing the crime through the Ghat area during the night.” When the train reached Kasara, passengers called out for help. The officer and staff at GRP Mumbai immediately responded, he said, adding that four accused have been apprehended so far.
“The victim is twenty years old and she has been taken for medical examination by our lady officer. She is fine. We are collecting all evidence. The accused are being questioned by our team. We are checking their previous records,” he said in another tweet.
Deputy Commissioner of Police and a team of the crime branch are investigating the offence, he said, adding that the accused had stolen property worth Rs 96,390, mostly mobile phones, from the train passengers.
The Mumbai GRP has registered an offence against the accused under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 395 (dacoity), 397 (robbery or dacoity), 376(D) (gang rape), 354 (assault or use of criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage her modesty), 354(B) (assault or use of criminal force to any woman or abetment of such act with the intention of disrobing or compelling her to be naked).
