Jewar gang-rape case: Four of six accused arrested

Four men were arrested on Sunday in connection with the gang-rape of four women and the murder of their male relative near Yamuna Expressway in Jewar area here.

On May 25 night, eight people in a car were robbed and held hostage, while the four women, in the age group of 28 to 52 years, allegedly gang-raped by a gang of six robbers in a secluded field on Jewar-Bulandshahr Road. The male relative of the women was shot dead after he resisted to the assault.

The accused were nabbed following a shoot-out with the Gautam Buddh Nagar police in which one of the arrested persons suffered a bullet injury on his leg, while two accused managed to escape.

The shoot-out started at around 2:30 am in which more than 20 rounds of bullets were fired on police, said a senior police official.

"Following a tip off about the presence of six criminals near Sabota village underpass, a police team of 15 cops from Jewar police station along with crime branch personnel were sent to the spot. The criminals opened fire at the policemen, in reply to which the police followed a counter firing in which one of the accused suffered bullet injury in his leg," said Love Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police, Gautam Buddh Nagar.

"The arrested persons have admitted that they were behind the heinous crime. All the four arrested criminals are the members of Bawariya gang and have committed several similar crimes in Gautam Buddh nagar and nearby areas. Investigations have revealed that two other members of their gang were also involved in the gang rape and robbery incident. Our investigations are on in order to nab other gang members as well," added Kumar.

Police have seized three country-made pistols, stolen jewelleries, axles, and iron nails embedded belt from their possession.

"The modus operandi of the gang was similar to the Axle gang. Usually they plan the incident on a dark, no moon night," Kumar explained.

Meanwhile, the police officials who have earlier denied of any rape crime committed to the female victims on Sunday said, "In the forensic reports, the foreign semen samples have been found from the clothes of two women victims. We need to match them with the DNA of the arrested persons to carry out the actual," Kumar told the reporters.