Was a Minor Victimized by Gang-Rape in Lucknow?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 16-year-old girl gang-raped in Lucknow
- Two suspects arrested, three still at large
- Police recovered motorcycle and firearm
- Societal crisis on women's safety highlighted
- Call for government action to prevent future incidents
Lucknow, Oct 12 (NationPress) A 16-year-old girl has reportedly been the victim of a gang-rape incident involving five unidentified assailants in Lucknow. As per police reports on Sunday, two of the suspects have already been apprehended.
According to officials, the girl had left her home around 12 p.m. on Saturday to visit her sister and was riding a motorcycle with an acquaintance.
The two made a stop near a mango grove close to a petrol station when they were confronted by five men who assaulted the acquaintance. Following that, the men proceeded to rape the girl.
DCP South Nipun Agarwal spoke to IANS about the case, stating, "Late on October 11, the Banthra Police received information regarding the rape of a girl. Based on a complaint from the victim's father, an FIR was registered against the named suspects and a team was assembled to apprehend them."
"Late Saturday night, while one of our teams was conducting a check near Harauni railway station, two individuals on a motorcycle were instructed to stop. However, the suspects opened fire. In response, the police returned fire, resulting in one of the suspects being shot in the leg. He was taken to the hospital and identified as Lalit Kashyap, a suspect in this case. Kashyap also has a criminal history involving gambling and theft," DCP Agarwal stated.
"One individual managed to flee, and efforts are underway to apprehend him. Our combing operations are ongoing. Additionally, our second team has arrested 20-year-old Miraj, another suspect in this incident, not far from the railway station. Further actions are being taken in this matter," he added.
DCP Agarwal confirmed that a motorcycle and a locally-made pistol belonging to the suspects were recovered from the scene.
Currently, the police are in pursuit of three additional suspects who remain at large and are expected to be arrested soon.
In response to this incident, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati condemned the occurrence and urged the government to implement effective measures to combat crimes against women.
She expressed her outrage on X by stating, "The gang rape of a teenage girl in the Banthara area of Lucknow is profoundly distressing and shameful. The ongoing incidents of women's harassment, including rape and murder across various states, including UP, show no signs of abating."
"It is crucial for the government to take decisive action to prevent such occurrences. Women's safety must be prioritized above all," she added.