New Delhi: A 16-year-old Class 11 student was allegedly gang-raped inside a sleeper bus in Delhi’s Kashmere Gate area. Police later arrested the driver and conductor. The incident took place on the night of August 4. The girl was travelling from Uttar Pradesh to meet her cousin in Noida.
Visuals from inside the sleeper bus bearing the name "Vishwanath" where the crime allegedly took place show multiple CCTV cameras. A cloth can be seen near the driver’s seat. Clothes can also be seen on the handles and beds of multiple berths, and a cloth is visible lying on the floor of the bus.
The bus driver, identified as 39-year-old Kuldeep, and 26-year-old Sandeep were arrested from a parking lot in north Delhi's Timarpur on the same day when the teen, who was on her way to Noida from Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri, was allegedly gang-raped.
Teen recounts journey to Noida
The survivor, in her police complaint, said that she left home for her cousin's place in Noida without telling her family after her mother scolded her over studies. She got down in Noida's Pari Chowk amid heavy rain and darkness and found out that she had not yet reached her destination. It was already 9 pm.
She was drenched in the rain and alone, and she needed a ride to reach her cousin's place, still around 35 km away. Eventually, an approaching bus stopped near her. It had berths for long-distance travel (sleeper bus) and no passengers.
Conductor allegedly misled survivor
The conductor reportedly told her they too had been heading towards Noida Sector 63, after which she boarded the bus. The police said the bus was actually returning from a workshop in Greater Noida's Surajpur, NDTV reported.
The survivor, in her complaint, said that the conductor started behaving inappropriately after the bus started moving and sexually assaulted her. They also allegedly threatened to kill her if she resisted.
Survivor abandoned near Ring Road
After the assault, they abandoned her near Ring Road in Delhi's Kashmere Gate. She subsequently filed the police complaint that triggered an immediate search for the accused and a detailed probe.
A forensics team found strands of the girl's hair inside the bus. The police have seized the bus. Investigators have collected CCTV footage from the route taken by the bus.
Accused questioned by police
During questioning, the accused reportedly told police that they thought they would not get caught if they dumped the girl in Delhi, according to a Times of India report.
