Members of Bawariyas, the nomadic tribe accused in the Bulandshahr gangrape case, go into hibernation for weeks or even months after a thoroughly planned crime, revealed the police interrogations conducted on the three arrested men on Sunday.
One of the three is a resident of Bulandshahr, where the incident took place. All were sent to 14-day judicial custody on Monday. The remaining four accused, including the gang-leader, are still at large.
Explaining the modus operandi of the group, which dragged out five members of a family from a car on a highway in western U.P., tied up the men, looted them at gunpoint and raped a 45-year-old woman and her 14-year-old daughter in a nearby field, DIG Meerut Laxmi Singh said, “They belong to different areas and had congregated at Chakwara village in Rajasthan. From Rajasthan, they took a train to Palwal and from there, travelled in a tempo through the highway. The vehicle was owned by one of the seven members of the group.”
For the Bawariyas, highway robbery is the primary source of earning. “They meet at railway stations or bus stops, carry out robberies, divide the money and then disperse, mostly when a festival is nearing,” said a police official.
Jewellery stolen from rape victims recovered
On Sunday evening, the police arrested three persons, Raheesudeen of Sutari village in Bulandshahr, Shahwaiz of Hapur district and Jabar Singh of Gautam Budh Nagar district in connection with the Bulandshahr gang-rape case. It was the dacoit gang-leader who allegedly went beyond their “usual plan of robbery” and assaulted the women.
Asked how the police confirmed that the three arrested had committed the crime, DIG Meerut Laxmi Singh informed that a gold chain was recovered from one of the accused which the victims confirmed was theirs. Also, the accused stole the 45-year-old woman’s anklets and Rs. 5,500 in cash.
Girl treated in Delhi
The medical report of the two women has indicated a possible sexual assault, said police officials.
On Monday, the victims left Bulandshahr and stayed at an undisclosed place in Noida. The 14-year-old victim has been down with fever and visited a super speciality hospital in Delhi for treatment.
Meanwhile, with almost all police officers associated with the case in Bulandshahr suspended, the U.P. government appointed Anees Ahmad Ansari as the new SSP. He will take charge of the case on Tuesday.
A host of teams right from SOGs of Noida and Ghaziabad, to the IG’s team and three teams from the city and a Special Task Force, are hunting for the four remaining accused in the case.
Centre seeks report
Meanwhile, the Centre on Monday sought a report from the State government on the incident. The Home Ministry asked for details of the crime and steps taken to nab all those involved in it, official sources said.
(With PTI inputs)
