Varkala rape case accused in police custody

The Thiruvananthapuram Rural police appear to have cracked the case relating to the alleged gang-rape of a nursing student in Varkala.

All the three accused, Saheer, Shaiju and Rashid, were apprehended from various locations on Thursday, sources said. Their arrests will be recorded on Friday.

The police said the victim had reached the Varkala railway station and joined Saheer, with whom she apparently had an affair, and Shaiju for a trip to Kollam in an autorickshaw on Tuesday.

The third accused, Rashid, joined them on their trip back to Varkala. The victim was then taken to a deserted spot, where she was allegedly gang-raped.

As the group reached the Ayanthi bridge in Varkala, the victim screamed for help.

The accused abandoned the vehicle and fled from the scene on realising that the victim had managed to attract the attention of a few passersby.

The victim, who was found to be having a bout of epileptic fit, was rushed to a private hospital in Varkala, from where she was shifted to SAT Hospital in the city.