The Haryana Police on Sunday arrested one of the three main accused in connection with the alleged rape of a 19-year-old woman in Mahendragarh district last week, PTI reported. Two other people were also arrested. The three have been sent to five-day police remand, according to ANI.
The police identified the arrested people as Nishu, who is a local wrestler and one of the main accused, and two accomplices Deendayal and Sanjeev. Deendayal owned the property where the woman was found and Sanjeev is a registered medical practitioner who provided first-aid to the woman. The remaining two main accused, Army man Pankaj and college student Manish, are still on the run.
As many as three men had allegedly raped the woman after kidnapping her while she was on her way to a coaching class. The woman’s father told reporters that though she has named three people in the complaint, around eight to 10 people may have sexually assaulted her.
The medical superintendent of Rewari District Hospital, Sudarshan Panwar, said the woman’s condition is normal now, according to ANI. “Her condition is normal now and she is emerging well from trauma,” Panwar said.
Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar told ANI that police have been directed to take strict action in the case. “The other two accused in the case will also be arrested soon,” he said. “[I] appeal to the public to not harbour them. Strict legal action will be taken against those who harbour them.”
Newly-appointed Rewari Superintendent of Police Rahul Sharma met the woman on Monday morning and said her safety was one of the main concerns. Sharma took over the post on Sunday after the previous Superintendent of Police Rajesh Duggal was transferred.
Nuh Superintendent of Police Naazneen Bhasin is leading the investigation into the rape of the teenager.
Bhasin said on Sunday that the Special Investigation Team was conducting raids in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan to find the remaining accused. She added that at least 100 people have been questioned in connection with the case so far.
“With the arrest of the two [Deendayal and Sanjeev], the police got some vital clues about the whereabouts of the rest accused and they will be arrested soon,” she said, according to the Hindustan Times. “We will produce Deendayal and Sanjeev in court on Monday and seek police remand for further investigations.”
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