Woman gang-raped on Raksha Bandhan while returning from fair in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh, six arrested

Chhattisgarh gang-rape: A 27-years-old tribal woman was allegedly gang-raped by eight men in the Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh when she was returning home from a village fair after celebrating Raksha Bandhan festival, Raigarh police said on Wednesday.

The police said six people have been arrested so far, and a search for the remaining two others is underway.

The incident took place in the Pusaur area of Raigarh when the woman, who had separated from her husband for the past few years, went to Meena Bazaar with some acquaintances. She filed a complaint on Tuesday, based on which the police registered an FIR.

According to her complaint, when she was returning with one of the male acquaintances, they were allegedly obstructed by seven other men known to the male friend and forcibly dragged her to an isolated location nearby the pond, where they allegedly raped her. The accused dumped her in an unconscious state and fled.

Raigarh SP Divyang Patel told reporters that six accused were arrested within hours of the complaint, and others were being searched.

“By Tuesday night, we had arrested six persons. Two of the accused are absconding. We are interrogating the arrested accused for the whereabouts and identity of the others involved, and soon they will also be arrested,” HT quoted Divyag Patel, superintendent of police, Raigarh as saying.

The accused were arrested under Sections 70(1) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

“We are not revealing the identity of the accused as it could hamper the investigation. The issue is serious,” the SP said.

Those arrested were jobless men between the age of 20-25 years and had an eye on the woman since they found her an easy target because of her separation from her husband.

Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has termed the incident as very serious and demanded immediate arrest of all the accused.

"The incident of rape in the Pusaur area of Raigarh is very serious. The culprits should be arrested immediately, and the victim should be given protection till the accused are convicted. The victim should be provided every possible assistance," Baghel wrote on 'X' on Tuesday night.