Jalpaiguri: Two youths were arrested by the police on Wednesday night for their alleged involvement in the gang-rape of a 19-year-old woman near a tea garden. The incident has triggered widespread shock and anger among local residents.
According to police and local sources, the young woman, a resident of Banarhat, had travelled to that area earlier in the day to visit a friend. In the evening, while she was walking along the road of a nearby tea garden, she was allegedly accosted by two local youths—identified as Amit Orao and Golap Bhumij—who allegedly dragged her into a secluded area and sexually assaulted her.
The survivor, with her clothes in disarray, managed to flee the spot and reach a nearby village seeking help. Villagers who found her in distress informed the police immediately after she recounted the incident. Police personnel rushed to the location, rescued the survivor and sent her to the hospital for medical examination. A search operation was launched soon after, leading to the arrest of the two accused.
The accused were produced before the Jalpaiguri District Court on Thursday.
Police officials said a case has been registered under relevant sections of the law and a detailed investigation is currently underway.