HAVERI: A day after Haveri police booked six Muslim men for attacking a couple and filming them, the victim, who was also a Muslim, has alleged that she was gang-raped by the assailants.
According to her statement, she had gone to the hotel room to meet her male friend when shortly after that a gang barged into the room and dragged her out of the hotel. She said that the gang dragged her out of the hotel and abducted her.
"They first hit me brutally and later raped me one after another. Despite my plea, they didn’t stop and took me to different places. A person who was driving the car also raped me and all the men who are seen in the viral video have raped me. I have lost everything. All I want is justice," the survivor claimed.
The incident was reported on January 8, in Hangal, Haveri. The initial reports said that the assailants barged into the lodge and thrashed the couple who belonged to different faiths. The woman and the assailants belong to the same community.
On Thursday, Haveri Superintendent of Police Anshu Kumar Srivastava directed the police teams to take up an investigation based on the victim’s video statement. Accordingly, Hangal police have booked a case of gang rape and are investigating. Another accused was arrested on Thursday, and now the total number of arrests has gone up to three.
An investigating officer said that the three who are arrested, are repeat offenders, and this is not the first time they have indulged in moral policing. Two more videos of them harassing other couples are found on their mobiles.
“We are following leads to arrest the remaining four accused, who are absconding after the case was registered at Hangal police station. The victim has claimed to identify the rapists. Soon, the arrested will be produced to the court,” said the investigating officer.