Pune: While probing firearm recovery case, police find links to gangrape of minor; 5 detained

At the time of the incident, when the girl was trying to escape with her friend, she was shot at with a country-made firearm but escaped unhurt as the bullet hit the cell phone she was carrying, said police.

A probe by Pune City Police into a case of firearm recovery recently led them to another case, the gangrape of a 14-year-old girl by three persons, which took place over two weeks ago.

Unit II of the Pune City Police’s Crime Branch was probing the recovery of a firearm from a suspect. The case, under provisions of the Arms Act, had been registered in this regard on March 26. During the investigation of the case, police received information that the weapon was discharged once around two weeks ago, when the minor girl was shot at.

Inspector Mahendra Jagtap of Unit II said, “The probe of the case under Arms Act led us to the minor girl, who is 14 years old. Our team tracked down the girl and spoke to her… she revealed that at the time of the firing incident, she had been gang-raped by three persons, who are known to her. The incident took place around two weeks ago… she was accompanied by her female friend.”

Initial investigation has revealed that the victim and her friend were picked up by the suspects from their homes, located in the central part of Pune, on the pretext of going to celebrate someone’s birthday. The two girls were taken to a house where three persons, including two minors aged 16 and 17, allegedly raped the victim.

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While the two minor suspects have been detained, police have arrested three more persons, who are in their early 20s. One of them was originally arrested by the Crime Branch with a country-made pistol.

At the time of the incident, when the girl was trying to escape with her friend, she was shot at with a country-made firearm but escaped unhurt as the bullet hit the cell phone she was carrying, said police.

“After she opened up to us about the crime, an FIR with charges of gang-rape and attempt to murder was registered,” Inspector Jagtap said, adding, “A total of five persons have been booked in the case. Three persons, including two minors aged between 16 and 17 and one 20-year-old youth, allegedly raped her. Two more have been booked in the same case for being accomplices. The two minors have been detained and the other three have been arrested…”.

Police have booked the suspects under various Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to gang-rape and attempt to murder, and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

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