A 16-year-old girl in India survived an alleged gang rape and being thrown into the Upper Ganga Canal by clinging to a tree branch until she was rescued. Police have arrested two men in connection with the attack.
Attack and rescue in Khurja
The attack occurred in Khurja, a city about 55 miles southeast of Delhi. Police confirmed on Thursday (October 8) that both suspects, who allegedly hurled the girl into the canal, are in custody.
The teenager's screams were heard in the early hours of Wednesday morning (October 7). A local resident tending to livestock spotted her gripping a branch at dawn. He contacted authorities and helped pull her to safety, according to the Times of India.
Lured with false job promise
The victim told officers she was lured away by the husband of a woman she had been staying with, who falsely promised her employment in Delhi. A second man accompanied them as they left on a motorbike on Tuesday evening, reports the Express.
The girl became alarmed when they entered an isolated area and tried to flee. The men then allegedly gang raped her before throwing her into the canal and escaping.
Background and arrests
Police reports indicate the girl had lost her father. After her mother remarried and relocated, she lived with her grandmother. Following her grandmother's death, she rejoined her mother but later left due to alleged ill-treatment. She ultimately found shelter with the woman whose husband later assaulted her.
Circle officer Shobhit Kumar said police received intelligence that one suspect was searching the canal area for his missing mobile phone. "When our team challenged him, he opened fire and was shot in the leg in retaliatory firing. He was admitted to a community health centre," Kumar said.
The second suspect was also arrested. Police recovered a country-made pistol, a live cartridge, a spent shell and a motorcycle.
