Jharkhand police to seek speedy trial in gang rape case of pregnant woman in Palamu district

Medininagar: The police on Tuesday said it will appeal to the court for a speedy trial in the gang rape of a three months pregnant woman in front of her husband in Jharkhand's Palamu district.

The 22-year-old woman was allegedly raped by six men who were arrested.

"We have completed 90 per cent of the investigation. The police would request the court to conduct a speedy trial of the case," Palamu Superintendent of Police Chandan Kumar Sinha told PTI.

The police have collected clothes, motorbikes and other pieces of evidence and the forensic report.

Sinha said the statement of the victim, who is currently undergoing treatment in a government hospital, was recorded during the day.

The statement of eyewitnesses including that of her husband has also been recorded.

The woman’s medical examination has been conducted. However, it is not clear whether the incident has affected her pregnancy as the authorities refused to divulge details of the medical examination report.

Following a quarrel at her in-laws' place in a village in Palamu district, the pregnant woman left for her father's house 35 kilometres away in the adjoining Latehar district by foot on Saturday.

Her husband and one of his relatives left on a motorcycle to look for her and found her walking along National Highway 39 near Bakoria Bhaluahi Valley at around 8 PM.

According to the statement given to the police by the woman's husband, as he was persuading her to return home, six men came on motorcycles, severely assaulted him and his relative, took his wife to a nearby spot where he could see and hear them, and took turns in raping her.

The survivor's husband, who was injured in the assault, claimed that he knew two of the six accused by face.

His relative fell unconscious after the thrashing.

By the time he managed to reach the crime spot, the accused were trying to take his wife somewhere on a motorcycle.

However, that motorcycle collided with an incoming four-wheeler and the woman started shouting for help. Hearing her cries, local villagers came to her rescue and caught two of the accused and handed them over to the police. The four others were arrested on Monday.