Dalit woman gang raped at railway station in AP

Visakhapatnam: A 30-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly gang raped by three persons at the Simhachalam Railway station, police said on Thursday.

Railway Police on Thursday arrested two of the accused besides another woman on charge of helping the trio in the crime which took place on Wednesday night.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Government Railway Police) C Harshavardhan told reporters on Thursday night that three persons, who are petty vendors, forcibly took the victim to a paid toilet located on the station. After beating up the relatives of the woman, they 'raped' her.

Two of the accused, R Veerababu and S Naresh, were arrested and search was on to nab the third one, he said.

Police also arrested a physically challenged woman, a sweeper at the toilet, for helping the accused in the crime.

The Deputy SP said the victim, along with her husband and two relatives (who are engaged in labour work), came to Visakhapatnam from Mahabubnagar a couple of days ago and was staying at the railway platform.

He said six other petty vendors, who noticed the incident, tried to molest the woman and when her relatives raised an alarm, they fled. Three of them have been nabbed and a search was on for the others.

Harshavardhan said the victim has been sent for medical examination. Police have registered a case under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, besides IPC Section 376 (rape). Further investigations were on.