Three construction workers held for raping 16-year-old girl in Vadodara

Vadodara: Three labourers were arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl in Vadodara city of Gujarat, a breakthrough achieved within 48 hours of the crime after analysing footage from 1,100 CCTV cameras and a manhunt, police said on Monday.

Two others who had accompanied the main accused on bikes to the crime spot are being interrogated.

The accused individuals originally belong to Uttar Pradesh and settled down in Vadodara over ten years ago, police said. They are identified as Munna Vanzara (27), Mumtaj Vanzara (36) and Shahrukh Vanzara (36).

"The accused have been working as construction workers in Vadodara city,", city Commissioner of Police Narasimha Komar told reporters.

The teenage girl was allegedly raped by the trio on Friday late night who restrained her male friend on a deserted stretch on the outskirts of the city on a Navratri night when revellers come out in large numbers to celebrate garba, police had said.

According to police, five men had approached the girl and her friend on two motorcycles. While two of them left the spot, three others committed the crime and also snatched the mobile phone of the victim. They threatened the victim against disclosing the incident.

After receiving information about the incident, police cordoned off the area and launched a manhunt.

The incident caused a massive uproar and raised questions over the safety of people, especially women, going out during the night to celebrate the Navratri festival.

"Police launched a massive manhunt involving 65 officials who analysed footage from 1,100 CCTV cameras installed across 45-km routes in the city," Komar said.

Police initially nabbed Munna Vanzara within 48 hours of the incident from his house in Tandalja locality. His interrogation led police to Mumtaj Vanzara and Shahrukh Vanzara, who also live in the same locality, the crime branch stated.

Munna, a native of Gonda in UP, lives with his pregnant wife in Tandalja, a locality in Vadodara. He had come to Vadodara a decade back and worked in the construction industry. The motorcycle used in the crime belonged to him.

Mumtaj and Shahrukh are originally from Ambedkar Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh and settled in Vadodara 14 years ago. Both are married.

Mumtaj was earlier booked on the charges of dowry harassment and cruelty on the complaint of his wife, police said.

The accused trio has been booked under sections 70(2) (gang rape on woman under 18), 309 (4) (causing hurt during robbery), 351 (3) (criminal intimidation), 65 (1), 54 (abettor present when offence committed) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and other sections of the POCSO Act.