Woman tied, gang raped and abandoned in drain:Court convicts all 4 accused, sentencing life imprisonment after 53 days

In Part 1 of the Madhya Pradesh Crime File, you read that a sensational incident in Habibganj (now Rani Kamlapati), one of Bhopal’s busiest areas, had shaken the entire city. Around 10:30 pm, a young woman reached the Railway Protection Force (RPF) police station in a traumatized state. Her clothes were torn and covered in mud, and she was unable to speak properly due to fear and shock. Shockingly, the crime had taken place just 50 meters away from the police station, yet the FIR was not registered immediately. The next day, the victim’s family had to run between multiple police stations—MP Nagar, Habibganj, and GRP—due to jurisdiction disputes. The complaint was finally registered nearly 24 hours later. Now the biggest questions were: How did such a major incident occur in a crowded area? Who were the accused? And how did the police finally reach them? Read the answers to these questions in Part 2… How the crime unfolded The victim, referred to as Riya, was returning from coaching classes in Zone-2 and heading toward Habibganj railway station via the outer track around 7 pm. As she reached a deserted railway stretch, one accused confronted her. When she resisted and tried to escape, another joined him. They dragged her towards a filthy drain beneath the railway track. Dragged to drain, brutally assaulted Despite putting up a fight, the victim was overpowered and dragged into a sewage drain filled with mud and filth. She was beaten mercilessly and assaulted. When she tried to defend herself using a stone, the attackers retaliated violently—hitting her on the back and tearing her clothes before repeatedly raping her. Robbery, assault, and murder attempt The accused also robbed her of her mobile phone and Titan wristwatch. Later, they tied her hands and legs and took her through a tunnel toward Platform No. 6, where two more accomplices joined them. All four men assaulted her again, slapped her, and snatched her earrings. They then debated whether to kill her. Eventually, two of them strangled her and beat her, assuming she would die. Believing she was dead and unable to escape, they abandoned her in a semi-conscious state under a bridge and fled. Victim escapes, reaches police station A passing train’s sound helped the victim regain partial consciousness after a few minutes. Around 10:30 pm, she managed to untie herself, get dressed, and somehow reach the police station to report the crime. City outrage and police action The incident triggered widespread outrage across Bhopal. The victim, daughter of a police personnel and a UPSC aspirant, had been attacked in a crowded urban zone, raising serious concerns over law enforcement. During investigation, the victim identified one of the accused, Golu, who was later arrested. Based on his interrogation, the police apprehended the other three accused—Amar, Rajesh, and Ramesh. All were aged between 25 and 30. Action against police negligence Due to the delay in registering the FIR, strict action was taken: Fast-track trial and conviction The case was fast-tracked in court: On December 23, 2017, Additional Sessions Judge Savita Dubey sentenced all four accused to life imprisonment. Justice in 53 days The verdict came within just 53 days of the crime, marking one of the fastest trial outcomes in such a serious case and sending a strong message against crimes of sexual violence.