Horrific Gang Rape in Ghaziabad; Friends ‘Left’ allegedly due to Accused’s Community Affiliation
Ghaziabad: In a shocking and deeply distressing incident, a 23-year-old woman from Delhi was allegedly gang-raped in the isolated stretch of Ghaziabad’s Tronica City. The brutality of the assault reached a new level as the victim’s two friends were beaten up for being “too intimate by the road” before being left behind, reportedly because they “belonged to the accused’s community.” The prime suspect, Junaid, was apprehended after a gunfight with the police.
The horrifying incident unfolded on Thursday when the Delhi resident, employed at a toy factory in Tronica City, accompanied her friend for a ride on her newly bought scooter after their work shift. Later, a man believed to be her friend’s boyfriend joined them. While the couple enjoyed their ride, the victim waited along a deserted road, engrossed in her phone.
According to the police report, Junaid and two other youths from the village intercepted the two friends on the scooter, accusing them of being too intimate. The friends were allegedly assaulted, but the assailants abruptly changed course when they realized they shared the same community.
This abrupt shift in focus left the woman vulnerable, and she recounted a horrific ordeal where she was dragged behind bushes and subjected to a gang rape. Despite her screams, no one came to her rescue. The assailants fled when they spotted a car approaching, leaving the victim and her friends traumatized.
The survivor, upon reaching home, bravely reported the incident to her parents. Subsequently, an FIR was lodged under Section 376D (gang rape) of the IPC, and the police-initiated investigations. The victim was shown CCTV footage, helping identify some of the assailants.
In a significant development, Junaid, the prime suspect, was apprehended after a gunfight with the police. He reportedly fired at the police when asked to stop near a forested area in his village and was subsequently hit in the leg during the exchange of gunfire.
DCP (rural) Vivek Yadav was quoted as sayinf police lodged an FIR under Section 376D (gang rape) of the IPC and started scanning CCTV footage to identify the accused. “The woman was shown a few video clips and she identified some of the accused.”
“On Sunday evening, we received a tip-off about Junaid and sent a police team to a forested area in his village. Seeing the cops, he fired a few shots at them and started to run. When the police team fired back, he was hit in the leg. He was taken to a hospital for treatment and is stable now,” Yadav was quoted. The officer added teams had been formed to arrest the other accused.
The incident has once again spotlighted the urgency of addressing issues related to sexual assault and the safety of individuals, especially in isolated areas. The survivor’s courage in speaking out and the swift action by the police are crucial steps toward seeking justice for the victim and ensuring accountability for the perpetrators involved in this heinous crime.
