3 arrested in Alwar gang rape case

Alwar: Three of the five people were arrested in connection with the Alwar gang rape case, police said on Wednesday.

Fourteen police teams were pressed into service to nab the other two accused, IG Jaipur S Segathir said.

Those arrested were identified as Indraraj Gurjar, Ashok and Mukesh, he said, adding that Mukesh had also recorded the crime and uploaded the video on social media.

"Two rape accused are absconding. Mukesh had shot the video and uploaded it on social media. He has been arrested under the IT Act," the IG said. A woman was allegedly raped by five men in front of her husband in Alwar district on April 26. On Tuesday night, the Rajasthan government had removed Alwar SP Rajiv Pachar and put him under the Awaiting Posting Order status, citing administrative reasons.

SHO of the Thanagazi police station Sardar Singh was also suspended and four policemen were shunted to police lines. The state government has released an interim relief of Rs 4.12 lakh for the victim as per the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Meanwhile, locals took out a protest march in Thanagazi town demanding arrest of all the accused persons.

The BJP criticised the government over the incident and for delay in taking action, alleging that the case was deliberately hidden due to elections.

Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore and several other leaders also condemned the incident. "Such a shameful incident occurred but police and the government took this very lightly and no prompt action was taken," BJP state president Madan Lal Saini said.

The incident took place when the woman was travelling on a motorcycle with her husband.

The accused stopped them on the Thanagazi-Alwar bypass and dragged the couple to an isolated area, where they allegedly raped the woman and threatened her husband with dire consequences, police said.

The two did not narrate the incident to family members initially but when the accused called the husband and threatened to circulate the video if he did not give them money, he told the family members about it. An FIR was registered on May 2 under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST Act.