Five people have been arrested after a woman seeking treatment for her child was allegedly locked in a room and gang-raped in northwestern India. The woman managed to escape and raise the alarm, leading to the arrests.
Attack details
The woman visited a cleric in Mathepur, northwestern India, seeking treatment for her child. The cleric told her that her child was afflicted by an “evil spirit” and asked her to visit him in the Taura area the following day. When she arrived, she was told treatment would begin that evening, given a drink, and fell unconscious.
Upon waking, she found herself locked in a room where the cleric and others held her prisoner and raped her. She was threatened that her child would be killed if she reported the incident, taken to several locations, and had her mobile phone SIM card destroyed to prevent contact with her family.
Escape and aftermath
She eventually escaped and returned home, where she recounted the incident to relatives. She reported that the accused had circulated obscene photos and videos of her on social media and continuously threatened her. Five people, including the cleric and two women, have been detained.
Rajesh Kumar, station house officer, said: “The matter is being thoroughly investigated from all angles. Further legal action will be taken based on the facts that emerge during the investigation.”
