Class 11 student gang-raped in moving bus in Delhi-NCR after being offered a lift

A 16-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh was raped by a driver and a conductor inside a moving bus in Delhi-NCR on August 4, police said on Monday. Police have arrested both men, seized the sleeper bus and sent it for a forensic examination.

In Short

• UP girl, 16, left home to visit cousin in Noida without informing family
• Heavy rain and darkness led her to get off in Greater Noida
• Bus driver, conductor rape her in moving bus after lift offer, both arrested

A 16-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh was raped by a driver and conductor inside a moving bus in Delhi-NCR after being offered a lift to Noida amid heavy rain, police said on Monday.

The incident took place during the bus's 47 km journey from Pari Chowk in Greater Noida to Kashmere Gate in Old Delhi on the night of August 4. Police have arrested both the bus driver, Kuldeep, and conductor, Sandeep, seized the vehicle and sent it for a forensic examination.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) North, Niharika Bhatt, today confirmed the crime had occurred and the arrests of both accused. One of the accused, Sandeep, (29), has no criminal background, police said.

According to police sources, the girl, a Class 11 student and a resident of Mainpuri district, had left home without informing her family and was travelling to visit her cousin in Noida. Amid heavy rain and darkness, she accidentally ended up at Pari Chowk in Greater Noida.

An empty sleeper bus passing through the area stopped after the girl signalled to the driver. The driver and conductor told her they were headed towards Noida Sector 63 and offered to drop her there.

According to the girl, shortly after the bus began moving, the conductor started making obscene gestures towards her. The driver and conductor then raped her and threatened to kill her if she resisted, DCP North Bhatt said.

The accused dropped her on Ring Road near the Kashmere Gate ISBT later that night and fled. The girl then approached Kashmere Gate police and reported the incident, the police official said.

Police arrested both accused from a bus parking lot in north Delhi's Timarpur. An investigation is underway and police have sent the seized sleeper bus for a forensic examination.

According to police sources, the bus had earlier developed a fault and was taken to a workshop in Greater Noida's Surajpur area for repairs. After the repairs, Kuldeep and Sandeep were taking the empty bus back to Timarpur when they encountered the girl at Pari Chowk.

Police said the sleeper bus had curtains, which meant people outside could not see inside the vehicle during the incident.

CONGRESS SLAMS DELHI AND UP GOVTS

The Congress lashed out at the BJP governments of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, saying the incident had "shaken the nation".

"The savagery continued for nearly 50 km in the moving bus, but the police from two states turned a deaf ear and slept on. No patrolling, no checking," the party tweeted.

The party alleged that law and order collapsed under "double engine" governments and exposed "hollow claims" about women's safety.

"This incident not only exposes the hollow claims of women's safety but also shows that criminals have no fear of the law. Today, criminals are brazenly committing crimes, and the BJP governments are busy with empty, pie-in-the-sky promises, with no concern for the safety of the people," it said.

- Ends