Abducted girl gang-raped by four men in moving car

Victim lives in Urdu prof's home on JNU campus

A 16-year-old girl living in the house of a JNU professor, on the university’s campus was abducted by four car-borne men from the campus and gang-raped in the moving vehicle on Monday evening, police said.

The girl was allegedly employed by the professor as a maid; however, police said she was a relative of the professor.

The girl had stepped out of the professor’s house to go to a tailor’s shop in Munirka when the incident took place at around 3 pm, police said.

“The accused drugged her and raped her in the vehicle before dropping her back on the campus at around 7 pm, where a university student helped the victim and took her to a health centre in the campus,” said an investigator.

From the health centre she was later referred to Safdarjung Hospital. The victim, who hails from Bihar, is receiving treatment and undergoing counseling, he said.

The chilling incident not only raised questions about laxity of security in the university but also gave handle to students’ union members to slam the professor of Urdu in the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies (SLL&CS) for allegedly employing a “minor” as a maid.

“The girl was employed as a maid by the professor five years back. She would have been a mere 11-year-old when employed by the professor at his house, and according to campus rules this is not allowed,’’ said Sourabh, Joint Secretary, JNU Students’ Union.

When contacted by Deccan Herald, the professor’s son refused to comment on the topic.
Police sources said the professor claimed that the girl was related to him and living in the house for four years.

As a group of the JNU Students’ Union demanded action against the professor for allegedly employing a minor maid, Vice-Chancellor Sudhir Kumar Sopory said: “We have given clear instructions to all the servants’ quarters that their details must be sent to us and police verification is required. The concerned professor must have hidden the information from us regarding the maid whom he had allegedly employed. We will investigate the matter”.

A case has been registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). Police have recorded the victim’s statement before a magistrate and investigation is on.