DEHRADUN: Four men have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 16-year-old girl in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, police said on Thursday. The case has also drawn political attention after reports that one of the accused had contested a student union president’s election and was associated with a student organisation.
The alleged incident took place on the night of November 12 in the Mukhani area of Haldwani, in Nainital district. In her complaint, the girl said the four men had threatened and lured her to a hotel, where they allegedly sexually assaulted her.
She returned home after her condition worsened, according to the complaint. When her family asked what had happened, she told them about the alleged assault. Her relatives then approached Mukhani police station and lodged a complaint.
Police registered a case against Dheeraj Bisht, Nitish Pal, Ansh Khatri and Himanshu Gouni under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and laws concerning gang rape.
A police team led by Mukhani station house officer Sushil Joshi began investigating and searching for the accused. All four were arrested within six hours, police said. They are reportedly students at colleges in Haldwani.
Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police Manjunath T.C. said the girl’s family had approached the police late at night and alleged that she had been assaulted at a hotel. “Based on their complaint, a case was registered against four named men under the relevant sections.
All four have been arrested, and further investigation is under way,” he said. Police said the accused were allegedly associated with a group known locally as the “ITI gang”.
The claim has not been independently verified. The alleged student organisation links of one accused have prompted criticism from the Congress.
However, the police have not indicated that any organisation was involved in the alleged crime. The investigation is ongoing. Police have not released further details about the girl, in keeping with legal protections for minors and survivors of sexual offences.
