‘Boyfriend forced to leave’: 19-year-old allegedly gang-raped by six men after accident in Palghar

A search is ongoing for the other three suspects, following the victim's detailed account. Police are ensuring thorough investigation and legal action.

The Talasari police on Tuesday detained three of six men who allegedly abducted and gang-raped a 19-year-old woman at a secluded location near Dak Bungalow along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Palghar district on August 9. Police teams have been deployed to look for the remaining three accused, officers said.

Police said the woman was able to provide the names of five of the six suspects. (PTI)

According to preliminary information provided by the police, the woman and her boyfriend were returning home from an outing in Gujarat on August 9 when their two-wheeler skidded in the rain on a road in Talasari.

The woman told the police that six men on two motorcycles were at the spot of the accident. She alleged that they threatened her boyfriend and forced him to leave before taking her on one of the motorcycles to a secluded location near Dak Bungalow, where they allegedly raped her.

Police said the woman was able to provide the names of five of the six suspects. Three of them were detained on Tuesday and sent for medical examination. Police are yet to establish the exact role of each suspect, officers said, adding that teams have been formed to trace the three accused who are still at large.

The woman’s boyfriend later also approached the police and provided details about the incident. His statement is considered vital to the investigation, officers said.

Palghar superintendent of police Yatish Deshmukh visited Talasari and reviewed the investigation. He subsequently formed teams to trace the remaining suspects. “Strict legal action taken against the guilty,” said Deshmukh.