HYDERABAD: Rachakonda police investigating the alleged kidnap and gang rape of a 19-year-old pharmacy student at Keesara on Wednesday have found that the victim had cooked up the story.
Police who had added gang rape charges based on the girl’s statement, to the initially booked kidnap case, confirmed that she was all alone from the time she alighted from the passenger auto at 5.20pm at Keesara till she reached Annojiguda on foot at 7.20pm.
"After hearing police sirens and speaking to her parents, she realised that the police are involved in the search and made up the story,” said Rachakonda commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat addressing the press on Saturday.
Responding to why police had added the gang rape charges without any evidence and medical reports, he said that they had gone by the victim’s statement, even as their teams were working on scientific evidence.
“Though there was suspicion on her version, we did not jump into a conclusion at an early stage without any proof,” he said.
The case was cracked based on technical evidence in the form of CCTVs, mobile location of the girl and also a few auto drivers whom police had picked up for questioning.
“Based on the clues given by her, a few auto drivers, including the driver who dropped her last, were also questioned. But their statements matched their mobile tower location and the CCTV footage in the respective locations. After analysing more than 100 CCTV cameras, it was found that after alighting from the vehicle, the girl walked for four km all alone and then boarded a passenger vehicle to get down at Annojiguda, which was around 150 metres from the place where she was found,” Mahesh Bhagwat said.
The girl, after being traced at the location on Wednesday night, made up the rape story and police could not get more details assuming she was in trauma. But on Thursday when they recorded her statement, she said the suspects injected her with something before assaulting and raping her. Accordingly, the medical teams collected samples and sent them for forensic analysis.
However, after analysing the CCTV footage and getting a clear picture, when the girl was questioned again on Friday night, she admitted to have cooked up the story.
Police said the girl had been trying to leave home due to personal issues and waiting for an opportunity.
“It was found that she wanted to go away from home and made up this story. Earlier also she told a kidnap story to a friend to test how he would react,” said a police officer.
Bhagwat said that as the girl had made a false story and kept the entire force on their toes for false reasons, they will present the matter before the court for necessary action.
Apology to auto drivers
Bhagwat also said that auto unions and drivers in the area had cooperated with the police to trace the vehicles. Based on her statement, police identified three passenger vehicles in white colour that were slightly damaged on the left side.
“All through the investigation, they had to go through the trouble with inquiries. We apologize to all the auto drivers and also thank them for their support in solving the case,” Bhagwat said.
Police had initially picked up around seven persons and questioned them. When the police showed the pictures of these persons, she identified one person and said he was involved in the crime. Later it was found that she had some dispute with the same person over auto fares during the lockdown period and hence dragged his name into the case.