Yadgir, 17 September

A 22-year-old woman from Bengaluru was allegedly repeatedly raped by six men, including two railway police personnel, police said on Thursday. They have all been booked. 

According to the police report, the victim, distressed over domestic issues, had travelled from Bengaluru to Yadgir by train. While waiting at Yadgir railway station in the morning, she was approached by accused Mallappa, who claimed to have travelled on the same train and offered assistance.

Gaining her confidence on the pretext of marriage, Mallappa took her to a house in the railway station area and allegedly sexually assaulted her. Shortly after, two railway police personnel -  Sharanappa and another unnamed official - arrived at the spot, threatened the victim, and sexually assaulted her.

Mallappa subsequently abandoned her at the railway station. Later, another accused, Mahesh, approached her, claiming Mallappa had sent him to take her to a hospital. Instead, he took her to a local lodge near the new bus stand and allegedly sexually assaulted her, the complaint added. 

The victim subsequently travelled to Kalaburagi. 

Nearly a month later, Mallappa traced her, renewed his promise of marriage, and took her to Shahapur on the pretext of preparing marriage documents, but allegedly assaulted her again, the complaint stated.

According to the complaint, when the survivor later returned to Yadgir railway station intending to head back to Bengaluru, three more individuals--Ramesh, Akash alias Pappu, and Harsha alias Sudhakar—intervened, took her in a car and assaulted her, before giving her Rs 2,000 to go home. 

The ordeal continued after the woman reached Bengaluru, where Akash promised her a job in Kalaburagi. After she went, he confined her in a room for two days and repeatedly assaulted her before leaving her at a railway station.  Harsha also then allegedly raped her again. 

The continuous ordeal ended when the survivor managed to leave Aland and boarded a bus towards Shahapur. A co-passenger noticed her crying inconsolably and immediately alerted the police emergency helpline 112.

Emergency response personnel intercepted the bus, rescued the victim, and moved her to 'Shakti Sadan', a State-run women's shelter in Yadgir.