MANGALURU: A young woman, hailing from Bihar, was found in a semi-conscious state at a deserted place near a stream at Kallapu on the outskirts of the city on Thursday. It is suspected that she may have been gangraped as injury marks were found on her body.
The woman, who was believed to be under the influence of drugs, knocked on the door of a house and asked for water. After drinking a few glasses of water, she suddenly collapsed following which the occupants of the house dialled the emergency number 112.
The police, who arrived on the scene, immediately shifted her to a private hospital in Mangaluru, but she had not recorded her statement as she was recovering. It is suspected that she was gangraped by an autorickshaw driver from Kumpala Bagambillu, and his friends.
The victim had come to Uppala in Kerala for employment and had come to Mangaluru with a friend on Wednesday. However, around midnight, she stepped out of the friend’s house after an argument and sought help from the autorickshaw driver.
He, along with two of his friends, took the woman to a deserted place where they allegedly gangraped her. The woman had paid Rs 60 to the autorickshaw driver through digital payment before the incident. Based on this, the police picked him up for questioning.
An abandoned house has reportedly become the haunt of drug abusers and it is learnt that a group of four were at the house on Wednesday night. When the woman reached a neighbouring house for water, the others fled the abandoned house, it is learnt.
The Ullal police have detained the autorickshaw driver and are questioning him. Further investigation is under way.
