INDIA: Police launch a manhunt to look for the three men accused of the gang-rape of a 30-year-old American woman in the northern resort town of Manali
Record ID:
1374232
INDIA: Police launch a manhunt to look for the three men accused of the gang-rape of a 30-year-old American woman in the northern resort town of Manali
- Title: INDIA: Police launch a manhunt to look for the three men accused of the gang-rape of a 30-year-old American woman in the northern resort town of Manali
- Date: 5th June 2013
- Summary: MANALI, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA (JUNE 04, 2013) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) A BOARD READING 'POLICE STATION MANALI' (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) VINOD DHAWAN, SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, SAYING: "Three men raped her and we are trying to identify them on the basis of the description that she has given us because she could not identify the registration number of the truck at night. We have got some clues about the truck, some strong evidence about the type of truck, which I cannot share right now. We have sent out teams to search for the truck and have blocked the area. Teams led by our officers are already in the field to identify the truck. And from the details of the truck we would soon nab the culprits." NEW DELHI, INDIA (FILE - DECEMBER, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) PROTESTERS MARCHING TOWARDS RAISINA HILLS, HOUSING INDIA'S MOST IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS INCLUDING THE PRESIDENTS RESIDENCE PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS AGAINST BRUTAL GANG RAPE OF A STUDENT IN A MOVING BUS IN NEW DELHI PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS WHILE BEING HIT WITH WATER CANON WATER CANON BEING AIMED AT PROTESTERS PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES OF PROTESTERS LIGHTING CANDLES TO EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH THE RAPE VICTIM GIRL HOLDING A CANDLE AND SHOUTING SLOGANS PROTESTERS USING CANDLES ON THE ROAD TO WRITE A TRIBUTE MESSAGE IN HINDI
- Embargoed: 20th June 2013 23:29
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Crime
- Reuters ID: LVA3O64I3P7SGTH2J5UR3XHD6G0X
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Indian Police launched a manhunt on Tuesday (June 4) to look for the three men accused of the gang-rape of a 30-year-old American woman in the northern resort town of Manali.
An American tourist was gang-raped by a group of men in the hilly town of Manali in northern Himachal Pradesh state, in the latest of a series of attacks that have thrown the spotlight on women's safety in the world's largest democracy.
Three men in a truck picked up the woman on Monday (June 3) night while hitchhiking back to her guest house in Manali, police said. She had been visiting friends and had been unable to find a taxi home.
The woman told police her attackers took her to an isolated area and raped her. She was taken to a local hospital for preliminary tests before being taken back to her guest house.
Superintendent of police in the area Vinod Dhawan said that based on the sketches given by the victim and some leads that they have acquired on the type of truck that was used by the three accused, the police are searching for the vehicle and would soon apprehend the culprits.
"Three men raped her and we are trying to identify them on the basis of the description that she has given us because she could not identify the registration number of the truck at night. We have got some clues about the truck, some strong evidence about the type of truck, which I cannot share right now. We have sent out teams to search for the truck and have blocked the area. Teams led by our officers are already in the field to identify the truck. And from the details of the truck we would soon nab the culprits," said Dhawan.
Instead of dropping the woman at her hotel, the men drove in a different direction for about 16 or 17 km (10.5 miles), then overpowered and raped her, police said, adding that the hospital test had confirmed the sexual assault.
Earlier on Tuesday police had detained three men who resembled the description of the accused given by the victim, but on further investigation the three were found to be innocent and released.
In March, a Swiss tourist was gang-raped while on a camping trip in a forest in Madhya Pradesh. In the same month, a British woman jumped out of her hotel balcony in Uttar Pradesh to escape a feared sexual assault.
Sex crimes are common in India. The National Crime Records Bureau says more than 24,200 rapes were reported across the country in 2011 -- about one every 20 minutes.
Police are investigating the alleged rape of a 21-year-old Irish woman working as a volunteer with a non-governmental organisation in West Bengal at the weekend.
The gang rape of a 23-year-old Indian woman on a bus on December 16 last year in New Delhi brought thousands of people onto the streets in protest, demanding better policing to prevent sex crimes. The trainee physiotherapist later died from her injuries. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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