Gujarat: 16-Year-Old Tribal Girl Raped Inside Parked Luxury Bus In Vadodara

Minor tribal girl raped in Vadodara: A 16-year-old tribal girl was allegedly raped inside a luxury bus parked in an upscale locality at Vadodara, Gujarat. The police have charged three persons for the crime, which took place on January 2, in the New VIP Road there. The main accused in the case is a juvenile. The police have arrested the main accused, while the search for two others who aided him.

According to the reports filed by the police, the main accused along with two of his friends forced the survivor inside the bus, which was parked by the roadside. Reportedly, while the main accused assaulted the girl inside the bus, his two associates kept a watch outside.

The 16-year-old was dragged into a parked bus by the main accused, who is a minor, and his two accomplices, around 8 PM on January 2: Official at Harni police station.

The accused, also, threatened her with grave consequences if she spoke about the incident to anyone else. According to the police, after the survivor returned to her home in Madhya Pradesh, she narrated the incident to her uncle. Later, a police complaint was lodged. The accused were charged with sections 376 (rape), 354 (A) (sexual harassment). 506 (2) (criminal intimidation), 114 (abettor present when the offence is committed) of the Indian Penal Code. The accused persons were also charged under the sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

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The Assistant Commissioner of Police of Vadodara Police, Bharat Rathod said to ANI, "A minor girl was raped in a bus parked on VIP Road in the Harni area of Vadodara on January 2. The FIR was registered yesterday and the police caught the accused, also a minor, but his two accomplices are still absconding."

According to the Times of India report, the age of the two accomplices has not been revealed by the police.

In December last year, a tribal girl was found dead in the Bundi district of the state. The 15-year-old had left her home with two friends to take her goats for grazing. Her body was found with fatal injuries on neck and head. The autopsy report of the deceased revealed that she was raped even after her death. Two people were arrested in connection with the case, although the involvement of a third person was also suspected.  Read more about the crime here.