Ludhiana gangrape victim succumbs, kin demand justice

The 18-year-old gangrape victim was brought to the Ludhiana civil hospital in a serious condition. there were reports that the accused had poisoned her. The details will be clear after the autopsy, say police

The 18- year-old girl, who was poisoned and gang-raped by three youths on October 10, succumbed during treatment at the civil hospital here on Wednesday.

While the Ludhiana police have arrested two accused in the gangrape case, their third accomplice is on the run. The victim was attacked while she was her way to the fields to fetch fodder for the cattle (AFP)

Rajinder Kumar, civil hospital police post in-charge, said: “The victim was referred to the hospital in a serious condition. Her blood pressure and pulse was dropping. Besides suffering from superficial injuries, it was stated that she was poisoned too. The victim died on Wednesday following which informed the Machhiwara police. I The exact cause of death, whether injuries or poison, will be known after the postmortem and viscera examination.”

Investigating officer Santokh Singh said the three accused, who were facing rape charges, would be booked under section 302 of the IPC too. According to the police, the three accused, one of them a juvenile, are hooked on drugs.

The relatives of the girl assembled outside her house in Machhiwara and demanded exemplary action against the accused. “This incident is an outcome of the prevalence of drugs in our village. The trio was addicted to (chitta) heroin,” said a relative of the girl.

“The girl had left studies and was helping my mother in the household work. The accused gangraped her when she was alone. We will resort to protest if the accused are not brought to justice,” said the victim’s maternal uncle.

While two accused have been arrested, their third accomplice is on the run. The arrested accused have been identified as Gurinder Singh and Yadwinder Singh.

According to the complaint filed by the girl’s mother, the girl had gone to the fields to fetch fodder for cattle. She later found her lying unconscious in the fields. The girl was rushed to the government hospital at Machhiwara.

After regaining consciousness on Monday, the girl narrated the entire incident to her family following which police were informed.

The girl said the accused intercepted and overpowered her in the fields and poured some substance into her mouth. As she slipped into stupor, the accused gangraped her, said the complaint.