Promise of marriage turns nightmare: Law student gang-raped

A 20-year-old law student in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, was allegedly gang-raped by her boyfriend and three of his friends. The harrowing crime, which was recorded by the accused, led to months of blackmail and harassment. Driven to despair, the victim attempted suicide on Monday, but her father intervened just in time to save her life.

The young woman later revealed her ordeal to her family, who supported her in filing a police complaint. Based on her account, the Visakhapatnam city police arrested all four accused under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for gangrape, voyeurism, and criminal intimidation, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act.

According to Police Commissioner Shanka Brata Bagchi, the victim and her boyfriend had been in a relationship for over a year, during which he had promised to marry her. On August 13, the accused lured her to a friend’s house, where she was assaulted. His friends filmed the act, and the group subsequently used the footage to threaten and further assault her.

Months of continuous harassment and intimidation pushed the victim to the brink. On Monday, she attempted suicide but was saved by her father. After this incident, she mustered the courage to inform her family about the trauma she had endured.

The incident has sparked political outrage, with the Opposition YSR Congress Party criticizing the N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government for failing to ensure safety for women. "How many more girls must suffer under this government’s incompetence?" they questioned, tagging the Chief Minister and Home Minister.

The state Home Minister also condemned the incident and highlighted the state’s poor track record in addressing crimes against women. She criticized the handling of past cases under the Disha Act and pledged swift action, pointing to the arrests made within 24 hours of this case being reported.