A 15-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly abducted by three men from a village in Uttar Pradesh's Etah district and raped by one of them before being abandoned on the roadside. Two of the accused have been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to capture the third suspect. The incident occurred on Saturday night when the Class 10 student stepped outside to fetch water.
In her statement to the police, the survivor recounted, "Around 11 pm, my brother returned home from work, and I served him food. Then I went outside to fetch water. One of the accused gagged my mouth, dragged me, and forced me into a loader vehicle." Despite family members rushing to help, they were unable to stop the abductors. The family and neighbors searched for the girl throughout the night. She was discovered lying on a road outside the village several hours later on Sunday morning.
The girl informed her family that one of the accused had raped her, police said. The survivor reportedly knew one of the suspects, a resident of the same village. On Sunday morning, the girl's father, accompanied by local residents and members of the Dalit community, filed a complaint at the police station. An FIR was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 138 (abduction), 65(1) (rape), 74 (outraging the modesty of a woman), 351 (criminal intimidation), and 61 (criminal conspiracy), along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act.
DSP Sankaldeep Kushwah stated, "Two of the accused have been arrested. Efforts are underway to nab the third suspect. Further legal proceedings are being initiated, and the medical examination of the survivor has been completed." The case has sparked outrage among local Dalit communities, who demand swift justice. Police are investigating the role of the third accused and ensuring all legal measures are taken.
