Four booked in Navsari for raping A’bad woman

Surat: Four persons were booked at Navsari rural police station on Friday for gang-raping a 35-year-old woman, who is a resident of Ahmedabad. Statement of the complainant, a native of Kheda district, was registered on Saturday.
Shailesh Paladiya, a resident of Katargam, Hemal, Vimal and Faiyaz were booked for gang-raping the woman after she became unconscious on drinking cold drink laced with sedatives in a farmhouse on National Highway-48 in Navsari district on March 13. The woman had lodged her complaint in Ahmedabad, which was later transferred to Navsari police for further investigation.

“The complainant told police that she didn’t register the complaint immediately after the crime in Navsari as was terrified of the accused,” a police officer said.

The woman alleged in her complaint that Paladiya had asked her to come to the city for discussion on starting beauty parlour business in partnership. She was taken to the farmhouse where the accused and his friends raped her. The woman escaped from the farmhouse after some time and reached Ahmedabad.

“The accused are yet to be arrested. A manhunt has been launched for them. Our focus now is on collecting evidence,” police said.