A horrific case of sexual violence has emerged from Nuh, where a 17-year-old girl was allegedly subjected to a night-long gang rape by three men from her own village. The accused, exploiting their familiarity with the victim, reportedly used threats of circulating online videos to silence her, plunging the survivor into a state of prolonged fear and isolation.
Months of Coercion Culminate in Brutal Assault
According to an FIR registered at the Sadar Tauru police station on Saturday, the three accused—identified as Waseem, Afroz, and another Waseem—had been manipulating the minor for several months. The victim's father informed the police that the men had given her a mobile phone and forcibly maintained contact. They allegedly warned her that any attempt to sever this contact would lead to the release of compromising videos recorded earlier.
The situation escalated on Friday night. One of the accused called the girl, threatening to damage her family's reputation if she did not comply. Lured under this duress, she was taken to a secluded tubewell situated in the middle of fields on the outskirts of their village. It was there, in that isolated spot, that the three men allegedly took turns to sexually assault her through the night.
A Frantic Search and Delayed Justice
When the teenager failed to return home after several hours, her family initiated a desperate search throughout the night. Their efforts, however, proved futile. It was only around 11 o'clock the next morning that the traumatized girl managed to return home and narrate her harrowing ordeal to her family.
Compounding the injustice, there are allegations that the families of the accused later threatened both the survivor and her father, attempting to intimidate them into silence. Despite these pressures, the family pursued legal action, leading to the filing of the formal complaint.
Legal Action Under Stringent Laws
The police have registered a case under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges invoked include aggravated sexual assault, criminal intimidation, and wrongful confinement. The use of the POCSO Act is critical as it mandates stricter punishments for crimes against minors and aims for a faster trial process.
In line with the directives of the Supreme Court of India, the identity of the victim has been protected to safeguard her privacy and dignity during the legal proceedings. The case highlights the grim reality of sexual crimes in rural and semi-urban areas, where perpetrators often exploit social familiarity and use digital blackmail as a tool of oppression.
