Bengaluru: In the early hours of Monday, a woman in Bengaluru was allegedly gang-raped for over five hours by four men in a moving car, according to the police. The incident has sparked outrage and brought attention to the safety of women in India.
The woman, who works at a private firm, had been sitting in a park with a male friend in National Games Village (NGV) in Koramangala around 10 pm on Sunday when one of the accused, who lived nearby, found the couple smoking in the park. He objected to their behavior and questioned them. The situation escalated into an argument, and the couple was cornered by the accused.
According to the victim’s complaint, the male friend was threatened and sent away, leaving her alone with the accused. They then called the other three men, who arrived in a car and dragged her into it. The accused then drove around the city, taking her to various locations including Domlur, Ejipura, Hosur Road, and the outskirts of the city, where she was repeatedly raped.
After the attack, the woman was dumped on a road near her house, and the accused fled the scene. She received medical treatment and filed a complaint with the police, leading to the arrest of the four suspects within nine hours.
The accused have been identified as Vijay, Sridhar, Kiran, and Satish, all aged between 23 and 24 years. Though the woman did not know them, the investigation suggested that their faces were familiar to her as they all lived in the same locality.
The suspects have been charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rape, gang-rape, kidnap, and criminal intimidation. The police have formed two special teams to investigate the case, and the victim is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city.
This incident has once again highlighted the issue of women’s safety in India, with many calling for stricter laws and harsher punishments for perpetrators of sexual violence. It also underscores the need for greater awareness and education on gender-based violence and the importance of creating safe public spaces for women.
