New Delhi, Aug 31 (JKNS): A 16-year-old Class 11 student was allegedly gang-raped inside a moving sleeper bus after she boarded the vehicle at Greater Noida’s Pari Chowk on a rainy night, following which Delhi Police arrested the driver and conductor and seized the bus for forensic examination, officials said.
According to police as per news agency JKNS, the incident took place on the night of August 4 when the teenager was travelling towards Noida to meet her cousin. Amid heavy rain and poor visibility, she reportedly got down at Pari Chowk by mistake and began looking for transport to reach her destination.
Police said the girl stopped a seemingly empty sleeper bus and asked about its destination. The conductor allegedly told her that the bus was heading towards Noida Sector 63, where she intended to go, following which she boarded the vehicle.
However, the bus allegedly moved towards Delhi instead. The teenager told investigators that the conductor behaved inappropriately with her before he and the driver allegedly assaulted her. She further alleged that the accused threatened her with serious consequences if she resisted.
The accused have been identified as driver Kuldeep and conductor Sandeep.
Teenager Had Left Home After Scolding Over Studies
According to the account given to police, the teenager, a resident of Mainpuri district, had left home without informing her family after being scolded by her mother over her studies. She was reportedly travelling to Noida to meet her cousin in Sector 63.
Police investigation revealed that the bus had earlier developed a technical problem and had been taken by the two accused to a workshop in Surajpur, Greater Noida, for repairs.
After the repairs were completed, the accused were reportedly taking the bus towards a parking area in Timarpur, North Delhi. Police suspect that they noticed the teenager standing alone at Pari Chowk and offered to drop her at Sector 63.
Instead, the vehicle allegedly continued towards Delhi, covering around 47 kilometres before reaching the Kashmere Gate area.
Police said the teenager was allegedly abandoned near the Kashmere Gate bus station, after which she approached the Kashmere Gate police and reported the alleged assault.
CCTV Footage Used To Track Bus
Following the complaint, police arranged the teenager’s medical examination and recorded her statement. An FIR was registered under relevant provisions dealing with gang rape, kidnapping and assault.
A police team led by Kotwali ACP Shankar Banerjee examined CCTV footage from the route to identify and track the bus.
The two suspects were subsequently arrested from a parking area in Timarpur, police said.
The victim’s family was called to Delhi, while female police personnel counselled the teenager. She was later handed over to her family after completion of necessary formalities.
Police have also conducted potency tests of the two accused. A forensic team examined the sleeper bus and collected biological and other evidence relevant to the investigation.
The vehicle has been seized and sent for forensic examination.
Bus Safety Measures Under Scanner
The incident has also raised questions over the implementation of safety measures for commercial passenger vehicles operating during night hours.
Investigators are examining whether mandatory safeguards, including verification and identification of drivers and conductors, emergency mechanisms, panic buttons and vehicle-tracking systems, were in place and functional on the bus.
Police are also examining the use of heavy curtains inside the sleeper bus, which can restrict …
