(Trigger warning: Mentions of sexual violence. Reader discretion advised.)
A Spanish national was allegedly gang-raped in Jharkhand's Dumka district on the night of Friday, 1 March, after she and her partner stopped in the area during a biking trip, police officials said.
Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident and were sent to judicial custody on Sunday, 3 March, news agency PTI reported.
When did the incident take place? The incident took place at around 10:30-11 pm on 1 March at Kurumahat within the limits of the Hansdiha police station, which is around 300 kilometres from Ranchi.
"At around 10:30 pm, the woman stopped a police patrol vehicle for help stating that a gang-rape incident had taken place. Our team visited the couple in the hospital, and they narrated the incident to us...she said that seven people had gang-raped her," Dumka Superintendent of Police (SP) Pitamber Singh Kherwar told mediapersons.
According to SP Kherwar, the woman, who was on a bike tour with her husband, was en route to Nepal via Bhagalpur. The couple was travelling to Bhagalpur via Dumka – and had put up a tent around midnight in a desolate area near Dumka's Hansdiha market.
"...As the victims were speaking in Spanish and English, our police team could not understand what they were saying but it appeared that they were injured. Both of them were taken to a nearby hospital where they informed the doctor that some people raped her. During the investigation, we arrested some accused and the remaining people involved in this case will be arrested soon. Two SIT teams were formed for this case. FSL and CID teams also arrived from Ranchi... Compensation under DLSA (District Legal Service Authority) will be given to the victim. Around Rs 5-10 lakhs is given as compensation. We will try to provide the maximum possible compensation..."SP Pitamber Singh Kherwar told news agency ANI
What did the woman say? Narrating her ordeal on Instagram, the woman said that she was allegedly raped by 7-8 men on 1 March. Besides sexually assaulting her, the accused also allegedly beat her and her husband.
After the incident, the survivor stopped a police patrol vehicle and informed them of the incident. The woman was then admitted to Saraiyahat CHC for treatment.
"Something has happened to us that we would not wish on anyone. Seven men have raped me, they have beaten us and robbed us, although not many things, because what they wanted was to rape me. We are in the hospital with the police, it happened tonight here in India."The woman alleged in her post on Instagram
In another social media post, which was later deleted on 3 March, the woman said, "My face looks like this, but it's not what hurts me the most. I thought we were going to die. Thank God we are alive."
A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at Hansdiha police station in Dumka, police officials said, adding that efforts were being taken to nab the rest of the accused.
The Quint reached out to Dumka Deputy Commissioner A Dodde and SP Pitamber Singh Kherwar, but received no response. This report will be updated as and when we receive a response.
Reacting to the gang-rape incident, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey told news agency ANI, "I appeal to Chief Minister Champai Soren to concentrate on law and order in the state. If posting will take place based on any caste, then this sort of incident will occur often."
Meanwhile, Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi said, as per news agency PTI: "If these kinds of incidents will happen with foreign tourists, then who will come to Jharkhand?"
(Editor's note: An earlier version of this report had stated that the survivor and her partner were on their way to the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi. However, the couple has denied this, as they continue to be in Dumka.)
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