Two Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati students were arrested on Wednesday by the police for allegedly sexually assaulting three students from the Gauhati University during a college festival held on the IIT campus, PTI reported. Kunal Kumbhakar and Ajay Dey – both 19 – are second year BTech students. They were arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal code, including common intent, assault or use of criminal force and “outraging the modesty of a woman”, The Telegraph reported.
On February 3, the girls had arrived at IIT-G to attend its cultural festival, Alcheringa. One of the complainants had befriended the two IIT students on social media and had come to the festival on their invitation, The Indian Express reported. They were looking for accommodation on the campus for the night as guests because it was too late to return to their hostel. The accused offered to help them with accommodation.
In the complaint, the girls allege that at 10.30 pm, they were given spiked drinks, and were assaulted before they passed out, PTI reported. The girls were taken to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital after a security guard found them unconscious on the campus the next morning. The girls have undergone medical tests and the reports are awaited. A First Information Report was filed at the North Guwahati Police station on February 7.
The accused were detained by the police on Wednesday and arrested on Thursday after the girls made a statement before a magistrate. The police said they were trying to find out why the girls decided to spend the night at the campus when they could have “easily taken a cab back to their hostel”, reported Hindustan Times.
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