Even as the verdict on the juvenile accused in the December 16 gang-rape has left people bristling, news of still another gang-rape in Noida’s Sector 105 is a grim reminder of just how vulnerable women continue to be. A 35-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped by five men, including two police constables of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), on Friday night.
The police version states that the victim had allegedly befriended a Noida-based realtor online a fortnight ago and they decided to meet at her friend’s house in D block of Sector 105 on Friday.
The victim was at her friend’s house when five men barged into the house unannounced and took turns to rape her. In her FIR filed at Sector 39 police station, the woman said she was also divested of her PAN card and debit card, which was later swiped at a gas station in Noida’s Sector 82.
Closed circuit TV footage found by the police corroborates her statement. The four accused, identified as Arun Kumar, Bunty, Bansi Ram Sharma and Subhash have been arrested since. Police claim that the fifth accused is on the run and has been identified as Jeetu. Both Bani Ram Sharma and Subhash are constables with the PAC, deployed as gunner and driver with a senior police officer. Both constables have been suspended from duty.
“A case has been registered under Sections 376(D) (rape), 392 (robbery), 323 and 334 (voluntarily causes hurt) of the IPC at Sector 39 police station. While the aggrieved was at the police station registering her complaint, she received an SMS update on her mobile that Rs 3,000 had been spent on her debit card. A team was immediately sent and the four were caught red-handed; an SUV and a motorcycle have been retrieved as well. We have also seized the victim's debit card flogged by the guilty to buy fuel,” said a senior police officer.