Two young Indian Army officers and two female friends were attacked during a picnic in Indore district, Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. The incident, reportedly involved physical assault and an alleged rape.
Details of the Attack
According to Lokendra Singh Hirore, in-charge of Badgonda police station, the officers, aged 23 and 24, were participating in the Young Officers (YO) course at the Infantry School in Mhow cantonment. They had gone for a picnic with their two female friends on Tuesday.
Around 2 a.m. Wednesday, a group of 6-7 individuals approached their picnic spot on Mhow-Mandleshwar road. They began assaulting one of the officers and one of the women who were in a car. Hearing the disturbance, the other officer and the remaining woman, who were on a nearby hilltop, came to investigate.
Ransom Demand and Police Involvement
The attackers held the pair in the car hostage at gunpoint, demanding ₹10 lakh in ransom. The officer, using the opportunity, managed to alert his seniors in Mhow, who contacted the police. By the time a police team arrived, the attackers had fled the scene.
Medical and Legal Proceedings
The victims were taken to Mhow civil hospital, where a medical examination confirmed that one of the women had been raped.
The case has been filed under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 70 (gangrape), 310-2 (dacoity), 308-2 (extortion), and 115-2 (voluntarily causing hurt), as well as relevant sections of the Arms Act.
Suspects and Investigation
Additional Superintendent of Police Rupesh Dwivedi stated that six suspects have been identified, with two currently detained. Indore Rural SP Hitika Vasal noted that one detainee had a previous case of robbery from 2016. She clarified that this was not an organized gang but rather a spontaneous attack on the victims who were gathered at a night spot. One of the attackers was armed with a pistol.