The men who kidnapped and gang-raped a 19-year-old student in Rewari¡¯s Naya Gaonlast Wednesday panicked and called a doctor when they felt her condition was sinking.
The girl, who had been plied with drugs and subjected to violent sexual abuse for nearly eight hours ¡ª it is suspected a dozen men raped her, though only three have been named in the FIR so far ¡ª had very low blood pressure when the doctor arrived from neighbouring Lukhi village, sources said.
A Naya Gaon resident said the doctor had told the men she could die as her systolic pressure was only 50 (this could not be independently verified by TOI).
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Hearing this, they decided to let her go but took her all the way back to Kanina bus stop in Mahendergarh 40km away, from where they had abducted her in the morning. Manish, one of the three named in the FIR, called the woman¡¯s father from there, telling him he had ¡®spotted¡¯ his daughter lying in a semi-conscious state at the bus stop.
All the three accused ¡ª Pankaj, an Army jawan, Nishu and Manish ¡ª live in the same Rewari village as the woman and knew her and her family.
The doctor, meanwhile, informed local residents about the condition of the woman he had just seen. Word spread from there and reached the woman¡¯s family and neighbours.
Police sources said on Saturday the doctor had been tracked down and given security. His statement will be crucial in the investigation to nab the accused, who are still missing.
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The woman¡¯s family, meanwhile, complained that her statement was taken at the Rewari Civil Hospital late on Friday even though she wasn¡¯t fully in her senses.
They alleged the police, who are under fire for starting the investigation two days late, were adamant. Earlier in the day, she was made to travel to Kanina police station and wait four hours to record her statement but her health worsened and she was brought back to hospital before the statement could be recorded.
While the family wasn¡¯t sure if she could give her full statement in her current condition, Nazneen Bhasin, the SIT chief and superintendent of police in Mewat, assured them her statement would be recorded again.
The woman¡¯s father said, ¡°Why was it so important to speak to her at midnight? Is it even allowed? Why couldn¡¯t they wait till morning? My daughter was not in a position to say anything and they made us leave the room. She is being subjected to unnecessary trauma.¡±
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According to doctors at Rewari Civil Hospital, her health is improving but she is still in severe trauma. Doctors have advised the family to not allow too many people around the patient. ¡°Doctors said she needs to be under observation for at least another day.
Only her mother and brother will attend to her during this period. Too many visitors are causing emotional stress on her and doctors have advised against it,¡± said Abhay Singh, a neighbour.
The woman is a former Haryana topper in board exams and is also a promising baseball player. She lives in Rewari and travels to Kanina regularly to attend coaching classes for the railway exam.
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The opposition sharpened its attack on the BJP government for law and order in the state and laxity in the police probe. Capt Ajay Yadav of Congress told TOI, ¡°There is political pressure on police to not take action or arrest the accused.
They even registered the FIR a day late, which can weaken the woman¡¯s case in court. We have asked police to prepone the date in the FIR¡±. Dushyant Chautala, INLD leader, said, ¡°The way cops handled the case and ill-treated the woman has raised doubts about police¡¯s intention to pursue the investigation.¡±