MP: Two arrested for assaulting army officers, raping female friend
Indore: Police on Thursday announced the arrest of two suspects in connection with the assault of two young army officers and the rape of one of their female friends near Mhow in Madhya Pradesh. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, has drawn sharp political criticism, particularly from the Congress party.
The two army officers, aged 23 and 24, were undergoing the Young Officers course at the Infantry School in Mhow and had gone on a picnic with two female friends along the Mhow-Mandleshwar road, around 30 km from Mhow in Indore district. According to the police, a group of six men attacked the officers and raped one of the women accompanying them.
The attack took place around 2 am near the Jam Gate area, a hilly region surrounded by forests. The assailants reportedly approached the group while one officer and his female companion were in their car. Hearing the commotion, the second officer and his female friend, who were atop a nearby hill, rushed to the scene. The attackers allegedly held one couple captive, assaulting them and demanding a ransom of Rs 10 lakh for their release.
Superintendent of Police (Rural) Hitika Vasal confirmed that police were called to the scene, and the victims were taken to Mhow Civil Hospital. A medical examination confirmed that one of the women had been raped. A case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including gang rape, dacoity, extortion, and voluntarily causing hurt, as well as provisions of the Arms Act.
Authorities are conducting a search for the remaining four suspects involved in the crime. One of the arrested men reportedly has a prior criminal record, with a case of loot registered against him in 2016.
The incident has ignited a political firestorm, with Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress General Secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, criticising the ruling BJP for its handling of law and order in Madhya Pradesh and other BJP-ruled states.
Rahul Gandhi took to X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Law and order in BJP-ruled states is almost non-existent, and the negative attitude of the BJP government towards increasing crimes against women is extremely worrying.” He added that the audacity of such criminals reflects the failure of the administration and the prevailing unsafe environment for women.
Priyanka Gandhi also condemned the attack, calling it “heart-wrenching.” In her social media post, she highlighted the increasing brutality against women across the country, citing statistics that show 86 women become victims of rape and violence every day in India. She emphasised that women in India remain unsafe in all aspects of life and called for serious efforts to address the issue.with agency inputs
