A 17-year-old girl who went missing from Vishakhapatnam on December 18 was allegedly gangraped several times by two separate groups of men, The Times of India reported. She was found after four days in Odisha.
The police have formed a special team to attempt to arrest 10 persons, including her male friend.
The teenager’s father alleged that one of the accused took his daughter to RK Beach in the city when she was alone at home. The family members filed a missing report on December 18 after their efforts to trace her proved futile.
The police, with the help of technical surveillance, traced the missing girl in Odisha. She did not disclose anything for days due to mental trauma, The Times of India reported.
On Sunday, she told the police that her male friend took her to a hotel and allegedly raped her. Later, he called his friend and they both allegedly raped her, the newspaper reported.
Upset with the violence, the girl went to RK Beach to allegedly attempt to kill herself. A photographer who found the girl alone at the beach offered her support. However, he took her to a room where he and his seven friends confined her for days and allegedly raped her. She managed to escape from the room and fled to Odisha.
“Since, the victim is a minor girl, we have recorded her statement and registered a case of abduction and rape under appropriate sections of the IPC [Indian Penal Code] and POCSO [Protection of Children from Sexual Offences] Act,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) K Srinivasa Rao. “Our teams have managed to identify some accused persons and we will nab all the accused shortly.”
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Women’s Commission chairperson Vasireddy Padma asked the police to take strict measures to punish the culprits, reported Deccan Chronicle.
She said that the commission took cognisance of the incidents and wrote to the police seeking a comprehensive inquiry. The commission asked the police to ensure that the girl’s identity is kept confidential and that she is given medical assistance and protection.
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