BIJNOR: Three men have been arrested for allegedly manipulating a 15-year-old girl into drugging her family, gang-raping her and carrying out a robbery at her residence in Bijnor.The teenager’s ordeal began last Wednesday night after a 22-year-old key accused, who had allegedly befriended the minor around six months ago and was in a relationship with her, convinced her to lace her family’s tea with sedative tablets. When they lost consciousness, the man and three other accomplices, including a juvenile, executed a premeditated robbery at the girl’s residence, making off with gold and silver jewelery along with Rs 10,000 in cash. They then took the girl to a banquet hall where they gang-raped her.Following a police complaint lodged by the survivor’s mother on Thursday, a case was registered against the accused under sections 137(2) (kidnapping), 96 (procuration of child), 70(1) (gang rape), 123 (causing hurt by means of poison with intent to commit another offence), 305 (theft committed in a dwelling house) of BNS and sections 5G/6 of Pocso. Act.The main accused and an accomplice were arrested Saturday. The third accused was arrested Sunday along with the stolen jewelery and Rs 1500 in cash. He confessed to the robbery, saying that the stolen cash had already been spent on a trip to Haridwar.Bijnor SP (city) Krishna Gopal Singh said an investigation is underway while they finalize legal proceedings. The accused have been sent to jail under judicial custody.(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
