Probing robbery, cops stumble on 6-month-old gang-rape

Three drivers, whom the police had arrested for robbery, turned out to be the perpetrators of a gang-rape six months ago.

The police stumbled on the gang-rape when they discovered the woman's jewellery in the the suspects' possession. The victim belongs to Madanayakanahalli.

The suspects — autorickshaw drivers Bharat G K (24), residing in Maakli; Harish (26) from Moodalpalya; and their associate Pramod (21), a cab driver from Nandini Layout, are all natives of Mandya and Tumakuru.

On Wednesday, the police received information that three men robbed people near the Ravindu Toyota workshop and government soap factory, brandishing a knife. They targeted people walking alone and stole gold, cash and gadgets.

The jurisdictional Mahalakshmi Layout police formed a special squad and nabbed the three men. During interrogation, they confessed to the crime. The police recovered several stolen items like gold jewellery and phones.

When asked about some of the jewellery, they confessed that it was a mangalsutra of a woman they had gang-raped six months ago.

Case history

The woman was known to one of them. Promising a moped, the men took her in Pramod's car to Hubbanahalli village in KR Pete in Mandya. One of their friends joined the three suspects and they took the car to a secluded spot, where they raped her taking turns. They then dropped her at Hiresave town and threatened of dire consequences if she spoke about the incident. The woman did not lodge a police complaint.

The police are now on the lookout for the fourth accused in the rape case, and are trying to contact the woman to get her to lodge a complaint.