K'taka rape case: 5 students arrested for raping Dalit woman, filming the act

Mangaluru, July 04: Five students of a prestigious college in in Dakshina Kannada district Puttur were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly abducting and raping a Dalit collegemate and threatening her with videos of the act.

The students are of BBA and BCom, who were apprehended about four months after the crime as the videos went viral and came to the notice of police. The arrested have been identified as Gurunandan and Sunil of Puttur and Prajwal, Kishan and Prakhyath from Bantwal, all aged 19 years, police said.

District superintendent of police, Laxmi Prasad, has noted that malicious propaganda about personal matters of the girl in question, her academic credentials etc is being resorted to on in social media.

He has also warned that making such information public is tantamount to violation of law and would face legal action.

Meanwhile, the photograph of a girl, who is in no way related to this incident, is also being circulated in the social media. This has embarrassed the girl and her family.

A suo motu case have been registered following circulation of the videos. The case was registered at the Puttur Women Police Station and two teams were formed to nab the accused.

They have been charged under IPC 341 (wrongful restraint), 376 (d) (gang rape), the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and IT Act.