Teenage Girl Allegedly Raped in Surat District During Navratri Festival; Two Suspects Arrested

A teenage girl was reportedly raped by three men in Surat, Gujarat, during the Navratri festival. The incident occurred when she was with a friend. Police have arrested two suspects, while the search for the third continues. The assault took place around 11 pm on Tuesday near Mota Borsara village in Mangrol taluka, according to Superintendent of Police Rural Hitesh Joysar.

Before the attack, the girl had visited Kim to meet friends after her coaching class. She and her male friend were sitting near a highway petrol pump when three men approached them. Her friend managed to escape, but the men assaulted her and stole their mobile phones. The police have identified the third suspect and are actively searching for him.

Police Action and Investigation

During the arrest of two suspects, police had to fire shots as they attempted to flee into nearby bushes. Fortunately, no one was injured in the process. The police used necessary force to apprehend them as they resisted arrest, according to Joysar. A motorcycle found near the crime scene helped identify the suspects.

The accused allegedly followed the victim and forced her to remove her clothes for photographs. They threatened to distribute these images if she resisted. Over 200 police personnel across 20 teams were involved in the manhunt, supported by a dog squad and forensic team. CCTV footage from the area was also reviewed.

Legal Proceedings and Similar Incidents

An FIR has been filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The arrested suspects are Munna Paswan, aged 40, and Shivshankar Chaurasia, aged 45, both with prior criminal records. The girl's friend alerted locals after escaping, who then began a search operation before police arrived.

This incident follows another similar case on October 4 near Vadodara, where a minor was raped by three individuals. That case led to widespread public outrage across the state. All three accused in that case were apprehended on Monday.

The recent events have raised serious concerns about safety during festivals in Gujarat. Authorities are under pressure to ensure justice for victims and prevent such incidents in future.