Uttar Pradesh student gangraped by 23 men: Report

The class 12 student went missing for seven days after a friend took her to a hookah bar in Varanasi.

A student was allegedly gangraped by 23 men in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi between March 29 and April 4. Police officials have registered an FIR against the men and have detained six of them, reported India Today.

Uttar Pradesh police have launched an investigation into the alleged gangrape of a student by 23 men.(Representative image/PTI)

The victim was a class 12 student who was preparing for admission to a sports course and regularly practiced running at the UP College.

The alleged crime took place after the woman went to a hookah bar with a friend in the Pischachmochan area of Varanasi on March 29.

“As per her statement, on March 29, a friend took her to a hookah bar in the Pishachmochan area, where other men also joined. The girl alleged that she was drugged with a spiked cold drink and then taken to different hotels in the Sigra area, where she was gang-raped,” a senior police official told India Today.

Out of the 23 accused, 11 have not been identified. The others were known to the victim from Instagram and were former classmates.

Police probe ongoing

A complaint was filed at Lalpur police station on April 6 regarding the gangrape, which allegedly took place between March 29 and April 4.

DCP Varuna Zone Chandra Kant Meena stated, “The girl had initially left willingly with her friend. A missing person report was filed by her family on April 4, and she was found the same day. At that time, no complaint of sexual assault was made by her or her family.”

After the victim's family had filed a complaint, the police located her and questioned the staff at the hookah bar about the incident. The police are also examining CCTV footage of the bar to aid their probe.

An FIR has been filed under the relevant IPC sections, and legal proceedings are underway.

DCP Meena also issued a clarification, debunking media reports that claimed the victim was a minor.