Bengaluru, Dec 18 (NationPress) Authorities in Karnataka have apprehended three individuals, including the victim's boyfriend, in relation to the reported gang rape of a college student in the Ramanagara district on Thursday.

This action followed a report made by the 19-year-old victim, who is currently a college student.

As per the police report, one of the suspects, who is the victim's boyfriend, allegedly engaged in an intimate relationship with her, recorded their private interactions, and subsequently used the footage to blackmail her.

The apprehended individuals include Vikas, the victim's boyfriend, alongside his associates Prashanth and Chetan. Vikas and Prashanth are enrolled in a private college in Bengaluru, while Chetan is employed as an electrician in Magadi town.

Authorities indicated that Vikas had been pursuing the victim for nearly seven months, persistently requesting her to reciprocate his feelings. Following the development of their intimacy, he is accused of taking her to Chetan's residence, where he had a physical encounter with her and secretly recorded the incident on his mobile device.

Vikas later distributed the video to the victim, allegedly blackmailing her by threatening to make it public unless she adhered to his demands. He reportedly coerced her into meeting him at his convenience.

Following this, police stated that Vikas once again took the victim to Chetan's residence, where all three accused supposedly committed the crime. Unable to bear the ongoing harassment and abuse, the victim sought assistance from the Magadi police station and filed a complaint.

Law enforcement disclosed that Chetan is married, and the crime occurred during a time when his wife was visiting her parents for childbirth. Investigators have also uncovered information indicating that Vikas had multiple relationships. They have reportedly obtained a video in which he is seen boasting about exploiting women.

The investigation is ongoing.

Previously, on July 10, the Parappana Agrahara police in Bengaluru arrested four men for allegedly gang-raping a 34-year-old woman at her friend's residence and subsequently robbing both the victim and her friend.

In another incident this March, two women—an Israeli tourist and an Indian homestay operator—were gang-raped, and a man was murdered during an attack near the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi in Karnataka. The victims were stargazing with three male tourists near a lake late at night when they were assaulted by a group of men.

Additionally, in September, seven individuals were detained on charges of gang-raping a minor girl in Mangaluru. The assault was recorded and circulated, inciting widespread outrage.