Woman gang-raped in Maharashtra forest while sitting with male friend; 11 arrested

NASHIK: The Jalgaon police arrested 11 people and detained three minors in a case involving the gang rape of a 40-year-old woman on June 2. The suspects will be produced before a court for their custodial remand today.According to information provided by the Jalgaon police, the 40-year-old woman and her male friend were sitting in a forest area under the jurisdiction of the Fattepur police station in Jamner taluka, Jalgaon, on June 2. Around the same time, a group of 14 to 15 people, who were passing through the forest to collect wood, arrived at the spot.Because the woman and the group, who were from another village about eight kms away from the victim's village, belonged to the same community, they were acquainted with one another.

The accused threatened the woman, and subsequently, two of them raped her while some among the others present videographed the assault.The victim did not initially report the incident to anyone. However, on June 25, one of the accused circulated the video of the gang rape on social media, causing it to go viral.After discovering that the video was circulating, the victim approached the Fattepur police on Monday and registered a complaint against the accused.

The Fattepur police swung into action and apprehended 14 people.Jalgaon SP Shrikant Dhivare stated that based on the woman's complaint, an FIR has been registered against 15 people under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for gang rape, as well as under sections of the Information Technology Act. Further investigation into the case is underway.(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)