Lagatar24 Desk
Indore: In a shocking incident in Madhya Pradesh, loud music played by two army officers and their women friends at a picnic spot near Mhow reportedly attracted a group of men who attacked the officers and raped one of the women, police said on Friday. The incident took place at the secluded Jam Gate area, around 30 km from the Mhow military cantonment, on the night of September 10-11.
Police have arrested three out of the six accused involved in the attack, which occurred near the popular tourist spot in the Vindhyachal ranges. Jam Gate is frequented by tourists during the day, but the area is usually deserted at night.
According to Superintendent of Police (Rural) Hitika Vasal, the group of friends had been at the spot since 11 pm on Tuesday, listening to loud music. “The sound of the music in the isolated area attracted the six accused, who then approached the group and committed the crime,” she said.
One of the attackers was armed with a pistol, while others carried sticks. The accused held one of the couples hostage and demanded a ransom of ₹10 lakh, telling the other couple to arrange the money for their release.
Police were alerted about the crime and arrived at the scene, but the assailants fled upon seeing the police vehicle’s headlights. A reward of ₹10,000 has been announced for the arrest of each of the three accused still at large.
The two arrested suspects are currently in police custody until September 16 and are being interrogated. The army officers, aged 23 and 24, are undergoing the Young Officers course at the Infantry School in Mhow. They had gone to the spot for a late-night picnic with their two female friends.
The attackers reportedly arrived at around 2 am, assaulting one of the officers and his female companion, who were sitting in a car. The other officer and his friend, who were on a hilltop, rushed to the scene when they heard the commotion.
A medical examination at Mhow Civil Hospital confirmed that one of the women was raped. The police have registered a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including gang rape, dacoity, and extortion, along with sections of the Arms Act.
The police are continuing their investigation, with officers attempting to record the rape survivor’s statement. She is currently in shock and unable to provide a detailed account of the incident.
Meanwhile, a police officer dismissed social media rumors suggesting the officers and the women had met through a dating app, calling the claims baseless.
