A 40-year-old tribal woman was allegedly gang-raped after a group of men broke into her home during a suspected robbery attempt in Madhya Pradesh's Alirajpur district.
The incident took place on Friday night in a village under the Bori police station limits, when five to six men entered the woman's house and two of them allegedly raped her before fleeing with valuables, news agency PTI reported.
'Wooden objects inserted in private parts'
The woman suffered serious injuries and was later referred to a hospital in Indore, where she underwent surgery, police and local leaders said.
"Preliminary investigation suggests that a wooden object was inserted into her private parts," Alirajpur Superintendent of Police Raghuvansh Kumar Singh told PTI.
He said doctors have confirmed injuries to the woman's private parts. While police have recovered evidence from the crime scene, officials declined to reveal details as the investigation is ongoing.
The investigators suspect the intruders entered the house with the intention of committing robbery.
Escaped with silver ornaments
The intruders allegedly fled from the house after stealing silver ornaments and a mobile phone, police said. Investigators believe the crime may have begun as a robbery attempt, though they are continuing to examine all possible motives behind the attack.
"Prima facie, it appears that the individuals entered the house with the intention of committing robbery, though all angles are being investigated," Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}"Prima facie, it appears that the individuals entered the house with the intention of committing robbery, though all angles are being investigated," Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}Police have formed teams and launched a manhunt to trace the accused. Searches are being carried out in nearby villages and surrounding areas, while investigators are also examining evidence recovered from the crime scene to identify and arrest those involved.
Congress seeks SIT probe
The incident triggered a political row, with the opposition Congress demanding a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the case.
Congress MLA from Jhabua and chief of the party's tribal wing, Vikrant Bhuria, visited the woman at the Indore hospital. Citing doctors, he said she had undergone a successful surgery.
Bhuria alleged that around eight masked men were involved in the crime and described the incident as "shameful".
He said the case raised serious concerns about the safety of women and tribal communities in the state. The Congress leader urged state chief minister Mohan Yadav to order an SIT investigation and ensure the accused receive the strictest punishment.
He also sought financial assistance for the survivor, noting that she had already lost her husband.