Jewar gang rape: One held, cops announce ₹25k reward for main suspect’s arrest

On Sunday, the woman had named 28-year-old Mahender from her village and three other men, including Devdutt, as the perpetrators

Police on Monday arrested a man in connection with the gang rape of a 55-year-old Dalit woman in Jewar on Sunday. They identified the suspect as 36-year-old Devdutt alias Devu.

The main suspect Mahender. The woman had gone to trim grass in the field about 700 metres away from her home on Sunday. Four persons, including Mahender, caught her and gang-raped her in the field. (Sourced)

Vrinda Shukla, DCP women safety, said police investigated the matter and found Devu was one of the four suspects in the case. “We showed his photo to the woman, who identified him. He has been arrested. We have launched a search for the other suspects,” she said.

On Sunday, the woman had named 28-year-old Mahender from her village and three other men, including Devdutt, as the perpetrators. Police on Monday declared a reward of ₹25,000 for any information leading to Mahender’s arrest.

The woman’s family members said a police team visited them and assured them the rest of the suspects will be arrested soon.

The woman lives with her husband and five children in Jewar village. The woman’s nephew, who works in a private hospital in Noida, said that the incident took place between 9.30am and 10.30am on Sunday.

“My aunt had gone to trim grass in the field about 700 metres away from our home. Four persons caught her and gang-raped her in the field. She somehow walked back home and collapsed outside the house. The family found her bleeding profusely,” he said.

He said that the woman told them that four persons took turns to rape her in the field.

“She identified Mahender. We immediately called police and informed them about the matter. We took her to the local primary health centre in a private vehicle. The police team reached there and rushed her to the district hospital in Noida,” he said.

DCP Vrinda Shukla said that the main suspect Mahender grazes cattle in the fields.

“Primary investigation shows Mahender and his accomplices gang-raped the woman. A case has been registered against them under Section 376-D (gang-rape), Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the SC/ST Act,” she said.

Vishal Pandey, additional DCP, Greater Noida, said the police teams were conducting raids to arrest the suspects.

“The suspects will be arrested soon,” he said.

Gang rape survivors from Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes are entitled to receive a minimum compensation of ₹7.5 lakh as per the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995. Noida police, in a press statement, said that the Uttar Pradesh government has approved the proposal for the woman. “The woman will get ₹2.5 lakh on Tuesday... The rest of the amount will be delivered in a time-bound manner,” it said. The Noida police also recommended assistance to the woman through UP Rani Laxmi Bai Mahila Samman Kosh. This fund will provide financial assistance of ₹3-10 lakh for the woman and her kin for their medical and educational needs.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on Monday tweeted and demanded strict action in the case.

“The gang rape of a Dalit woman in Gautam Budh Nagar is a shameful incident. The UP government must deliver justice to the victim and take strict action against the suspects,” she wrote.

Leaders of some political parties also visited the woman’s family and expressed solidarity with them. Pankhuri Pathak, Congress’ national media panellist, said that a delegation visited the woman’s family to enquire about her welfare.

“The woman is admitted to the district hospital in Noida. She suffered serious injuries and also underwent a surgery. We demand the government punish the suspects involved in the crime,” she said.