A 16-year-old Class 11 student was gang-raped by five unidentified men in a mango orchard in Lucknow on Saturday afternoon. The Dalit girl was traveling by motorcycle with a male acquaintance when they stopped to talk near a petrol pump in the Banthara area.
According to police, the attackers suddenly approached the pair around noon. “The men first beat up the girl’s companion, who fled the scene. They then took turns raping the teenager,” said Vikash Kumar Pandey, Assistant Commissioner of Police. The assailants threatened the victim before escaping.
The traumatized survivor later confided in a relative, who immediately alerted authorities. “We have launched a massive manhunt and formed multiple teams to identify the culprits,” confirmed Banthara Station House Officer Rana Rajesh Kumar. Police suspect the attackers are local residents from nearby villages.
The victim is currently undergoing medical examination at a government hospital. Officers confirm the case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC and POCSO Act, with additional charges under the SC/ST Act given the victim’s Dalit identity.
(The survivor’s identity is protected as per legal protocols for sexual assault cases)
