Garhwal Post Bureau
Rudrapur, 28 Jul: Panic gripped the police today when the two accused in the Rudrapur gangrape case attempted to flee custody while being taken back to the police station after crime scene recreation. Taking advantage of the heavy crowd on the route, the duo tried to escape but were chased down and caught by the policemen in a dramatic fashion. In the meantime, an enraged crowd surrounded the accused and assaulted them, raising slogans demanding capital punishment for them. The situation turned tense as the people attacked the accused with fists and kicks before the police intervened.
Eyewitnesses said the crowd’s anger erupted as soon as the accused were caught again. The mob not only thrashed them but also shouted slogans calling for their hanging. The Police personnel initially tried to control the crowd on their own, but as the situation worsened, additional force was summoned. Mild force was used to disperse the mob and then the accused were taken into safe custody. They were then escorted under tight security to the police station. Witnesses shared that had the police not intervened in time, the accused could have faced serious danger to their lives.
The incident has raised serious questions over police security arrangements. The fact that the accused managed to attempt escape despite being in custody, and the fact that the crowd reached them later when they were recaptured, points to serious lapses in security.
Senior Superintendent of Police Udham Singh Nagar Ajay Ganpati has not yet issued an official statement so far, and the police have so far refrained from formally commenting on the escape attempt, the mob attack or the use of force. Investigations are underway and legal proceedings in the gangrape case continue as per due process.
It may be recalled that, on 25 July, a young woman employed in the Sidcul area accused three men of abduction and gang rape. She alleged that while travelling with a friend and two acquaintances on Bhurarani road, three bikers intercepted them. The accused allegedly forced all the four onto their bikes and headed towards Gadarpur. During the journey, one youth and one girl managed to jump off and escape, while the other girl and youth remained in the accused’s custody. The youth was later dropped midway, but the girl was taken further and allegedly gang raped by the three men through the night before being abandoned near the Metropolis underpass the next morning.
The survivor informed her acquaintances and the police, leading to a swift action. In the early hours of 27–28 July, police attempted to arrest the accused, during which the men reportedly opened fire. According to the police, in retaliatory firing, one accused sustained a bullet injury in the leg, while two others were caught on the spot. The injured accused was admitted to hospital, and the other two were taken for crime scene recreation this morning. It was during their return that the escape attempt and subsequent mob assault occurred.
Police are now gathering complete details of the incident. The official version is still awaited to clarify how the accused managed to break free, how the mob reached them, and what immediate steps were taken to secure them. The gang rape case remains under investigation, with legal action continuing against the accused.
