The Rachakonda police in Hyderabad on Thursday informed that a pharmacy student who was abducted, was also sexually assaulted. The rape was confirmed after a medical examination. Subsequently the charges of gangrape were included in the case against the four accused. On Wednesday, a 19-year-old female student returning from college was abducted by an auto driver. The driver and three of his accomplices assaulted her in the outskirts of Hyderabad. The accused are yet to be identified and arrested.
Initially, police could not confirm the rape as the survivor was unconcious and reeling under trauma. After the medical check-up, they could ascertain the rape allegations. The condition of the survivor is said to be stable. She is availing treatment in a private hospital.
At 6 pm, the student had boarded the auto in Rampally in Keesara mandal. Without stopping at the survivor’s stop, the driver sped away. At Yamnampet village in Ghatkesar mandal, the woman was shifted into a van with the help of another accused. The van was taken to Ghatkesar railway station where two other accused had joined them.
However, using the cell phone coordinates of the survivor, police teams of Ghatkesar, Keesara and surrounding police stations were tracing the student. Realising that the police were tailing them, the accused had abandoned the survivor in some bushes in Annojiguda, which is approximately 5 km away from the Ghatkesar railway station.
Police were alerted about the incident by the survivor’s family at around 6.30 pm. When the auto driver did not stop the vehicle despite her protest, the woman had called her mother and alerted her. After nearly two hours, the survivor was traced at around 7.50 pm, Malkajgiri Deputy Commissioner of Police Rakshita Murthy said.
The charges against the accused include sections 376(D) (gangrape) 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 354(B) (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 365 (kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code.
Police said that more than 10 teams are engaged in the investigation. “Scientific investigation is in process,” police said. DCP Rakshita Murthy is personally supervising the investigation.