In a shocking incident late Thursday, a 22-year-old medical student was allegedly abducted and gang-raped by three people, including an auto driver, when she was on way to her flat from the college library, a police official said Friday.
"We have registered a criminal case against unidentified people under sections 366 and 376 (abduction and rape) read with 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on a complaint by the victim earlier in the day to the local police station," Udupi Superintendent of Police M.B. Boralingaiah told IANS.
A major educational centre, Manipal is 5 km from the famous Udupi temple town on the west coast of the state and about 410 km from Bangalore.
"We have formed four teams to nab the accused and made some headway in the investigation on the basis of the information the victim gave in her complaint and after questioning one of the college security guards," Boralingaiah said.
The incident occurred when the victim, a fourth-year student of the Kasturba Medical College, was waiting to hire an auto outside the Manipal University campus gate to return to her flat from the library around 11.30 p.m.
"The victim said in the complaint that she was abducted by the accused, driven to an isolated spot and gang-raped after midnight. Though she managed to reach her flat later, she gave the complaint early Friday," Boralingaiah said.
The victim's family, who lives in the neighbouring state of Kerala, have been informed about the incident and told to rush to Manipal to take care of her, as she is recovering from injuries on her hands and neck.
"We have written to the state government to set up a police check-post at the university campus to prevent such crimes," the SP said, adding that the university was also asked to install CCTVs in and around the campus for the safety and security of its students.
