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Journalism of Courage
‘Teen gangraped on moving bus tried to escape, but dragged back’: Cops
The girl told the police she had been waiting for a while when this bus drove up and the men inside told her it would take her to her destination - Noida.
The suspected sleeper bus after a 16-year-old Class 11 student was allegedly gang-raped inside it, in Delhi's Kashmere Gate area. (Special arrangement photo)
As Delhi Police prepare to pursue the case – the alleged gangrape of a 17-year-old girl in a moving bus – in a fast-track court, investigators have also written to the Forensic Science Laboratory, seeking an expedited examination of biological samples, including semen and hair strands.
Police investigation so far has indicated that the alleged sexual assault took place near the Bakhtawarpur area after the girl boarded the bus at Greater Noida’s Pari Chowk, officers said.
The girl – who had travelled from Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh – was trying to reach her uncle’s home in Noida Sector 63 and was unfamiliar with the roads in the area.
She was standing at Pari Chowk in the rain when the bus stopped near her, police said.
When she told the men in the bus that she wanted to go to Sector 63, she was allegedly told that the vehicle was also headed in that direction. She then boarded the bus.
However, according to the girl’s statement to the police, she soon realised that there were no other passengers inside the vehicle and attempted to get off. The conductor allegedly pulled her back inside, following which the bus continued its journey.
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The bus on which the girl was allegedly raped while it drove from Greater Noida to Delhi.
From Pari Chowk, the bus moved towards the Bakhtawarpur area, where the police investigation so far has indicated that the alleged sexual assault took place.
The girl has alleged that two men took turns raping her inside the moving vehicle.
The bus subsequently travelled towards Delhi, covering nearly 47 km before reaching the Kashmere Gate area, where the girl was allegedly abandoned, according to the police investigation.
The driver and conductor were arrested after the incident was reported, while the bus was seized for forensic examination.
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Some red flags raised after this horrific crime.
The case has also brought the safety and regulatory compliance of the vehicle under scrutiny.
The Indian Express had earlier reported that the bus travelled through stretches connecting Greater Noida, Noida and Delhi without being stopped for a safety or compliance check.
Investigators have also found that the bus had a defunct CCTV camera and was facing 11 pending traffic challans, including for alleged violations related to speed-limit devices, permits and other prescribed requirements.
The bus also allegedly had heavy curtains covering its windows, restricting visibility into the passenger compartment from outside. Investigators are examining whether other mandated safety mechanisms, including GPS or vehicle-tracking systems and panic buttons, were installed and functional at the time, and whether any alerts or location data were generated during the journey.
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Police have collected forensic evidence from the bus, including biological samples, which have been sent to the FSL for examination. Sources said the police have sought an expedited examination and early results as investigators prepare the case for trial.
Further investigation is underway.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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