Mentally ill woman raped inside car in Varanasi, accused held

A senior police officer stated that the Cantt police found the woman roaming at night on December 9. The police team brought her to the station and admitted her to the hospital for treatment.

A mentally ill 34-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a 50-year-old car driver inside his vehicle on the intervening night of December 9 and 10 after being kidnapped from the Ramrepur locality under the Paharia area.

The complaint was filed on Tuesday (December 17) after the victim’s condition stabilised, and police apprehended the driver later that same day. (Sourced)

The complaint was filed on Tuesday (December 17) after the victim’s condition stabilised, and police apprehended the driver later that same day.

A senior police officer stated that the Cantt police found the woman roaming at night on December 9. The police team brought her to the station and admitted her to the hospital for treatment. Once her condition improved, the woman was able to recall her younger sister’s name and mobile number and recounted her ordeal.

The officer said that the woman alleged that while walking toward Pahadia Mandi on the evening of December 9, a car stopped, and the driver forcibly made her get inside. The man then raped her inside the vehicle before abandoning her near Govind Nagar Colony.

According to the victim’s younger sister, her elder sister had been living at their parents’ home for the past five months due to her mental health issues. She left the house without informing anyone on December 9, and the family was informed the next day by Cantt police that she had been found.

The victim was admitted to a mental hospital after the unfortunate incident, and a formal complaint was lodged once her condition improved.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (Varuna Zone) Saravanan T stated that three police teams thoroughly reviewed CCTV footage from December 9 to track the movements of the accused and the victim. A crucial image of the woman and the accused inside the vehicle was captured by cameras installed on both sides of the road. Using the car’s registration number, police were able to identify and arrest the accused Ramanand Yadav late on December 17.

A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigations are underway.