Three held in rape, obscene video case

BHAWANIPATNA: Three accused of the rape and viral video case of Junagarh in Kalahandi district were arrested on Sunday. They were remanded in police custody by the court of JMFC Junagarh. Police had seized a mobile phone and a motorcycle from their possession.  The accused have been booked under sections 363, 376, 294 and 323 of IPC and 67(A) of IT Act.

Kalahandi SP Sambit Sampad paraded the accused during a Press conference on Sunday. The accused and the mobile phone used for recording the obscene video have been identified. They belong to Bhatraguda village.

The 18-year-old victim belongs to Junagarh town. While returning home from Sani temple in the evening of March 17, the victim was abducted by accused Chitaranjan Guru (24) along with Makunda Guru (20) and Susanta Pradhani (19). They took her to a secluded place near Bhatra Jore. Chitaranjan allegedly raped her. Later, they made an obscene video of the victim in which she was assaulted and abused. They also threatened her of facing dire consequences if she disclosed the matter to anyone, police said.

Out of fear and social stigma, the victim remained silent, police added. When the accused circulated the video, the girl narrated the incident to her family members. On April 6, her family lodged a complaint with Junagarh police.