The Madhya Pradesh Police have arrested three out of six men for the rape of a woman and attacking Army officers accompanying her at Jam Gate on the intervening night of September 10 and 11.
The gang attacked the two army men, undergoing the Young Officers course at the Infantry School in Mhow cantonment town, and their female friends, at an isolated place. The four-member group had gone out for a picnic when the armed men surrounded them, police said.
The women and the army officers reached Jam Gate around 11:00 pm. Loud music blared from their vehicle, garnering unwanted attention. The accused reached the vehicle following the music around 2:00 am, the police said. While one of the men had a pistol, the others were armed with sticks.
They held one of the couples hostage and told the other two to come back with Rs 10 lakh as ransom for their friends' release. However, they had to flee the spot as the police were alerted about the development. They fled the spot after seeing the headlight of the police vehicle.
The woman, allegedly raped by the accused, was in a state of shock and was not ready to record her statement at the moment.
Darkness aided crime at Jam Gate
The group had visited the popular tourist spot, which is situated around 30 km from the Mhow military cantonment. Located on the Vindhyachal ranges, Jam Gate is surrounded by forests. Although thronged by visitors in day hours, the area is largely deserted at night. This gave the gang an advantage to commit the crime.
A bounty of of Rs 10,000 has also been announced for information the three absconding accused.
A case was registered under sections 70 (gang rape), 310-2 (dacoity), 308-2 (extortion) and 115-2 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and under sections of the Arms Act.