Spanish woman gang-raped in Jharkhand, 3 arrested

Dumka (Jharkhand): A woman from Spain was allegedly gang-raped in Jharkhand's Dumka district, police said on Saturday.

Three persons have been arrested in connection with the incident and a manhunt has been launched to nab the remaining accused, they said.

The incident took place at Kurumahat in Hansdiha police station area, around 300 km from state capital Ranchi, on Friday night when a tourist couple from Spain was spending the night at a makeshift tent.

The couple had reached Dumka from Bangladesh on a two-wheeler and was en route to Bihar and then Nepal.

"Superintendent of Police Pitamber Singh Kherwar himself went to the spot last night and is still camping there. Investigation is underway, and forensic teams have visited the spot.

"Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident and a manhunt has been launched to nab the remaining accused. An SIT (special investigation team) will be formed. All necessary legal action will be taken," a senior official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The survivor has been admitted to a hospital, the official added.

Deputy Inspector General, Santhal Pargana, Sanjeev Kumar said the SP is probing the incident.

"I have asked the SP to issue a media statement in this regard," Kumar told PTI.

Meanwhile, another official, on condition of anonymity, said seven to eight local youths were involved in the incident.

The official said a massive manhunt is on to nab the culprits.

Incidentally, the alleged crime occurred on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Jharkhand and had expressed serious concerns over deteriorating law and order and extortion in the state.

Hitting out at the ruling dispensation in the state, the prime minister had alleged in a rally that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is neck-deep in corruption and its appeasement policies have resulted in infiltration.

"JMM stands for 'Jam Kar Khao'. Appeasement is on the rise, extortion is at its peak... law and order has taken a back seat," the PM had said.