Woman gangraped in Madhya Pradesh, 4 held

A 48-year-old woman was gangraped by four men and brutalised with a rod in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi district, police said. Four men have been arrested.

The incident occurred around 10 pm on Saturday, when the woman, a widow, was asleep in her tea joint, which she runs along a highway.

In her statement recorded by the police before the magistrate, the woman was asleep in her hut when the four accused knocked and asked for water. After she refused, the four reportedly barged in.

Superintendent of Police for Sidhi district Pankaj Kumawat said, “The woman in her statement also said that the accused inserted a rod inside her, which was confirmed by the doctor at the hospital where she is being treated.”

After the incident, the four accused absconded while the woman was rushed to a primary healthcare centre, from where she was referred to the district hospital. But as her condition continued to remain critical, she was further transferred to a medical college hospital where she underwent surgery on Monday.

According to Inspector General of Police Umesh Jogi, who visited the woman at the hospital on Monday, her condition was stable.

“All four accused were arrested on Saturday night and are in our custody. Their ages vary from 55 to 22. They will be produced in court tomorrow and further investigation will be carried out,” said Jogi.

The woman was given Rs 1 lakh as financial assistance by the district administration.