16-year-old girl gang raped while attending wedding with friends; FIR registered

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], May 7 : A 16-year-old girl was gang raped while attending a wedding with her friends in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand's Kumaon division on Thursday.

According to the Uttarakhand Police, the victim was allegedly assaulted at knifepoint by three individuals, including a local politician. The teenager, who had gone missing from the wedding function, was discovered the following morning in a deserted house. Reports indicate she was found stripped of her clothing with her hands and feet tied.

The three suspects fled the scene immediately after the crime and are currently at large.

Following a formal complaint lodged by the victim's father, the Champawat Police have registered a named FIR against three individuals identified as Puran Singh Rawat, a local BJP leader, Vinod Singh Rawat, and Naveen Singh.

The primary accused, Puran Singh Rawat, has held several key local positions, previously serving as the BJP Mandal President for Talladesh and the Gram Pradhan of Salli village. Sources indicate that he had been recently removed from his party post during the formation of a new executive committee.

The Uttarakhand Police are currently conducting intensive raids to apprehend the three absconding suspects.

Further details are awaited.

In a separate development, a man accused of shooting and robbery was killed in an encounter with the Uttarakhand Police on the night of April 30, Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pramendra Dobhal said.

According to the police official, SHO Naresh Rathore was injured as the miscreants opened fire at police personnel. In retaliation, police personnel fired and injured one miscreant, who later succumbed to injuries during treatment.

SSP Dobhal said, "Late last night, an encounter took place while police were chasing miscreants who had shot a man and robbed him of Rs 2 lakh and a mobile phone. During the exchange of fire, SHO of Premnagar Police Station, Naresh Rathore, was hit by a bullet fired by the accused. In self-defence, the police retaliated, injuring one of the miscreants, who was taken to the hospital but later died during treatment."

"The other accused managed to escape into the forest under the cover of darkness, and efforts are underway to trace them. Devaraj and Inspector Naresh Rathore were first taken to the Primary Health Centre in Premnagar and later referred to a higher medical facility for further treatment. Intensive checking operations and barricading have been carried out in the area, and a thorough search operation is ongoing at district borders to apprehend the absconding accused," the police official added.

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