3 held for gang-rape of factory worker

A 32-year-old history-sheeter and two of his associates were arrested on Saturday for the gang-rape of a 24-year-old garment factory worker.

According to the Madanayakanahalli police, Raghavendra and his associates Puneeth, Venkatesh and Vijay went on November 16 to the woman's house, looking for her husband. They had an old rivalry with him. The husband wasn't home. Finding the woman alone, they raped her, taking turns, police said.

She went into shock and did not tell anyone. But when her husband did not return for days, she mustered the courage to approach the police.
She only asked them to find him.

In the course of the inquiry, the police came to know she had been gang-raped. She was reluctant to complain, fearing social stigma.

After persuasion and counselling, she lodged a complaint and the police swung into action, and arrested Raghavendra and two of his associates. They are on the look-out for Vijay, the fourth accused.

Raghavendra is facing 10 criminal cases. Arrested recently and sent to judicial custody, he was out on bail, police told DH.