Minor gang-raped by four in Karnataka after being promised mobile phone

Four people have been arrested for allegedly ganging up on a minor girl in Hubballi, Karnataka, police officials said on Friday.

The survivor, 17, is a first-year Pre University (PU) student. The incident took place on Wednesday March 8 at Gokul Road Police Station Limits. JM Kalimirchi, Superintendent of Police, Gokul Road Police Station, confirmed the arrest of the four men.

“The four accused were arrested on Thursday. They were remanded in judicial custody for four days,” Kalimirchi said. Police identified the four accused as 28-year-old Devaraj; Fakkiresh, 26; Shivaraj Yashwanth, 20, and Hanumanthagowda Chennabasavagowda Umachi, 26. All four are residents of Sherewad village in Hubballi.

According to the survivor's complaint, she met an employee of a private firm, Devaraj, through another person named Sagar. Devaraj and the survivors spoke frequently on the phone. At around 8 am on Wednesday, survivor Devaraj called Hubballi on the pretext of buying her a mobile phone.

She then went to the city's Nehru Maidan (stadium), where she met Devaraj's friend Fakkiresh, who worked as a roadside cloth vendor in Malleshwaram, Bengaluru. The survivor then left for Ice Cube Hotel on Gokul Road on Fakkiresh's motorcycle. It is here, the two accused allegedly slapped the minor and threatened her with death and forcefully took her to a bridge near the Old Hubli bypass. The minor alleged that she was forcibly taken under a bridge where Devaraj slapped her and asked her to do as he pleased. Subsequently, Devaraj and other accused, who were present at the spot, allegedly raped the minor.

Police said the survivor managed to escape and she reached the police station around 12.15 pm on Thursday and registered a complaint. The police quickly tracked down and arrested the accused.

All four were booked under sections 323 (punishment for voluntary hurt), 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 376D (punishment for rape), 506 (punishment for intimidation), 34 (acts committed by several persons in furtherance of a common intention) ) of the Indian Penal Code. Penal Code (IPC) and section 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO).