20-year-old woman gang-raped by 8 robbers on train headed to Mumbai

Mumbai: A 20-year-old woman was allegedly raped by some robbers on board the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express train between Igatpuri and Kasara railway stations in Maharashtra on the Central Railway route, a police official said on Saturday.

The incident occurred late Friday night and the Mumbai Government Railway Police (GRP) has arrested four persons in this connection, he said.

Quaiser Khalid, Mumbai GRP's Police Commissioner, said the alleged crime was committed when the express train was traversing the ghat section.

Giving information about the incident and the action taken by the police, Mr. Khalid said in a tweet, "The accused boarded Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express at Igatpuri (Aurangabad Railway district) in sleeper bogie D-2 and started committing the crime through the Ghat area during the night."

When the train reached Kasara, the passengers called out for help. The officer and staff at GRP Mumbai immediately responded, he said. He added that four accused have been apprehended so far.

"The victim is twenty years old and she has been taken for medical examination by our lady officer. She is fine. We are collecting all evidences. The accused are being questioned by our team. We are checking their previous records," he said in another tweet.

Deputy Commissioner of Police and a team of the crime branch are investigating the offence, he said.

He added that the accused had stolen property worth Rs 96,390, mostly mobile phones, from the train passengers. Police have so far recovered property worth Rs 34,200 from them, he said.

The Mumbai GRP has registered an offence against the accused under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 395 (dacoity), 397 (robbery or dacoity), 376(D) (gang rape), 354 (assault or use of criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage her modesty), 354(B) (assault or use of criminal force to any woman or abetment of such act with the intention of disrobing or compelling her to be naked), and also under the Railways Act at Kalyan railway police station on Saturday, Mr. Khalid added.