Muzaffarnagar doctor among 2 arrested over alleged abduction, sexual assault of minor
Muzaffarnagar: Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested a doctor and another man in connection with the alleged abduction and sexual assault of a 17-year-old Dalit girl in Muzaffarnagar. The minor was traced after a three-day search operation, following which both accused were taken into custody.
According to police, the girl was allegedly abducted by one of the accused with the assistance of the doctor. After receiving information about her disappearance, police teams launched an extensive search to trace her whereabouts.
Investigators reportedly examined footage from around 600 CCTV cameras installed across different locations to track the suspected movements of the accused and locate the girl.
The girl was eventually recovered on Friday. Police later confronted one of the accused that night. During the encounter, police opened fire after he allegedly engaged them, resulting in a gunshot injury. He was subsequently arrested.
The second accused, a doctor, was also arrested for his alleged involvement in the case.
Police have registered a case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The charges include alleged rape, gang rape, sexual offences against a minor and offences against a member of a Scheduled Caste.
The two accused were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters, the victim’s mother described the incident as a serious atrocity against her daughter and demanded the strictest punishment for those responsible. “This was a very serious atrocity against a Dalit girl. It is an extremely grave injustice against girls and our community and the entire society. We do not want anything except the death penalty. We want justice. We want bulldozers to be used against all the accused’s properties, including the house and the college,” she said, reports The Statesman.
According to India Today, investigators are now examining CCTV footage and other evidence to establish the sequence of events and determine the individual roles of the accused. The victim's statement will also be recorded as required under law as the investigation progresses.
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