19-yr-old in Varanasi alleges gangrape by 23 men in 7 days

Varanasi: A 19-year-old girl in Varanasi alleged that she was raped by 23 people within a span of 7 days since she left home on March 29. In a written complaint submitted by her mother, she named 12 of the accused while the remaining 11 were described as unidentified men. Of these 12, six were arrested by the police. The survivor, unwilling to undergo the medical test initially, was counselled and sent to hospital on Monday evening. In the complaint, the survivor maintained that she was sexually assaulted by the accused after being drugged at separate locations, including a café and a hookah bar, during a span of 7 days when she was away from home.
DCP (Varuna Zone) Chandrakant Mina said on Monday that an FIR was lodged based on the complaint of her mother. The charges were filed under sections 70(1) (gang rape), 74 (outraging modesty), 123 (administering poison or harmful substance), 126(2) (obstructing movement), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of BNS against 12 identified and 11 unidentified individuals.
ACP (Cantt) Vidush Saxena said that following the initial investigation, six accused were arrested, and further legal formalities were underway. More teams are engaged in arresting the other accused.
It was not yet known if any of the accused were known to her.
The DCP said that the girl's family reported her as missing only on April 4 after she left home on March 29 and did not return or contact any family member. Later on the same day (April 4), the girl returned home, but the family did not make any complaint on that day. He added that when her mother's complaint was received, the case was registered, and the arrests of the accused started. Three police teams are continuing raids to arrest the other accused, he added.