ROURKELA: Rourkela police on Saturday arrested six persons for the gangrape of the 17-year-old-girl in the intervening night of September 22 and 23.
Four of them, police said, were present in Hooddang bar and restaurant where the victim was dining with her friends on Sunday evening. That’s where she was targeted by the perpetrators. The bar is barely 100 metre away from RN Pali police station.
Police identified the accused as Sohel Qureishi alias Badshah (21), Md Zaraiat (22), Aftab Khan (22) and Md Danis. Three of them committed the gangrape while Danis molested the victim at the first crime scene near the defunct millet cafe located near the administrative building of RSP under Plant Site police limits.
The 17-year-old was gangraped twice at two different spots within hours on the fateful night. For the second incident, police arrested Dipak Sonkar (19) and Binod Kumar Ram (35). The two had sexually assaulted the victim in Maguni Basti located along Rourkela main road.
DIG (western range) Niti Sekhar and Rourkela SP Brijesh Kumar Rai told mediapersons that Badshah and Zaraiat picked up the victim on a bike and took her to the first spot where Danis and Aftab joined them in the heinous crime.
After the four culprits left the spot, Dipak reached the spot and took her in a two-wheeler to the slum where he was joined by Binod in the crime. Another person with minor role is absconding.
Elaborating the sequence of the events, Rai said the victim along with her four friends had food at the pub where they were also served liquor. When the victim got inebriated, her four friends left.
“Badshah, Zaraiat, Aftab and Danis were present at the bar and briefly befriended the victim on the dance floor. After the victim stepped out of the bar at about 11 pm, Badshah and Zaraiat picked her up and headed to the first crime spot where they were joined by Aftab and Danis,” he added.
Subsequently, Dipak took the victim from the first spot and after committing the crime along with Binod at the Maguni Basti slum, he dropped her off near the bar and restaurant. The victim’s father and brother who were desperately searching for her got to know from the friends that she was seen at the bar. When the family members reached the pub, they found the victim at about 3 am.
Rai said police has collected adequate evidence and steps will be taken for conviction of the culprits and delivery of speedy justice to the victim. The Hooddang bar & restaurant has been sealed for serving alcohol to minors.
