A special court in Alwar district of Rajasthan convicted four men for the gang rape of a Dalit woman in April 2019 and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The convicts will remain behind bars till death. A fifth person was handed a five-year jail term under the IT Act for circulating a video of the sexual assault.
The lifers were tried in a court dealing with the cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. They have been identified as Hansraj Gurjar, Ashok Gurjar, Chhotelal Gurjar and Indraj Gurjar. The fifth man is Mukesh Gurjar, while trial continues against the sixth accused, a minor.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot welcomed the judgment saying it will set an example of swift inquiry leading to speedy delivery of justice.
The gang rape of the woman in front of her husband had shocked the people and raised serious questions about the law and order situation in the state. Apart from forcing themselves on her, the gang had also filmed the crime on April 26 last year.
While the survivor lodged a complaint, the police did not take any action immediately citing General Elections. The matter came to light when the video went viral on May 6, the day Alwar went to polls.
Finally, the Alwar police on May 7 launched a manhunt and pressed quick response teams and forensic experts into action.
According to the FIR registered at the Thanagazi police station, the woman and her husband were on their way on a two-wheeler from their place to Talvriksh village around 3 pm on May 2. Five men on two bikes first accosted them and then dragged the couple to a tall mud hillock. While one pinned the husband, another person filmed the assault. The others stripped the woman. The five then took turns to rape her.
