19-year-old student gang-raped in Chhattisgarh, four arrested

Korba: A 19-year-old student has been battling for life after being purportedly gang-raped and poisoned by four people, including a minor boy, in Janjgir-Champa district of Chhattisgarh, police said on Wednesday. “The incident occurred on March 7 in Kharaud village under Sheorinarayan police station area. However, the accused were arrested after a complaint was lodged in this connection on Tuesday,” Station House Officer (SHO) of Sheorinarayan police station Prashant Mishra said.

On the day of the incident, the victim, a Class XII student, got a call from Sagar Yadav (24), who is one of the accused, on her mobile phone when she was alone at her home. “The accused told her that her friend was waiting for her somewhere and he will drop her there,” Mishra said.

Later, Yadav along with his friend Lav Nonia (28) took the girl on their motorcycle to a secluded place behind a temple, where two more accused identified as Kushkumar Nonia (26) and a 16-year-old boy were already present. “They took turns to rape her. Thereafter, they poisoned her and fled from the spot. The girl somehow managed to reach home and narrate her ordeal to her parents before losing consciousness,” he said.

The victim was immediately rushed to the district hospital, from where she was shifted to Bilaspur for further treatment, the SHO said adding, “She is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bilaspur, where she is reported to be in a critical condition.”

“We have registered a case of rape and an attempt to murder by poisoning, against the accused. Further investigation into the case is underway,” the SHO said. The victim’s parents have alleged that on March 14 they had informed the police about the incident, but no action was taken by them, following which they approached the State Commission for Women. After the commission’s intervention, police registered a case in this connection on Tuesday and held the accused, they added.