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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: In a significant development, three individuals, at least two of whom are identified as members of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) IT cell in Varanasi, are now in police custody, facing allegations of gangrape against a 20-year-old B.Tech student from IIT-BHU.
The arrested individuals, Kunal Pandey and Saksham Patel, were apprehended on Saturday and have reportedly confessed to the crime, according to sources.
Pandey, residing in Sunderpur’s Brij Enclave Colony, and Patel, a native of Bajardiha, are reported to hold positions in the BJP’s IT cell. Pandey serves as the convenor of the city unit, while Patel holds the position of co-convenor, as per sources. The third suspect, Anand from Jivadhipur Bajardiha, completes the trio.
Varanasi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) R.S. Gautam stated on Sunday that the accused might face charges under the National Security Act and the UP Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. Authorities have seized the motorbike and mobile phone used in the crime, along with other electronic evidence. The criminal history of the arrested individuals is currently under scrutiny.
The survivor filed a complaint on November 2, leading Lanka Police to register an FIR under sections 354B, 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and 66E of the Information Technology (IT) Act. Subsequently, additional charges of gangrape (Section 376 D) and outraging a woman’s modesty (Section 509) were added following the student’s statement recorded before a magistrate on November 8.
The incident triggered widespread protests on campus, with thousands of students gathered in front of IIT BHU Rajputana hostel, demanding enhanced security measures and prompt police action. There is an increasing demand from students to restrict access to the campus, advocating for the barring of locals and allowing only students, scholars, and professors to enter the premises. The delay in apprehending the accused spurred further demonstrations near the office of the institute’s director.
In the initial days of the protests, a scuffle broke out between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP), All India Students Association (AISA), and the Bhagat Singh Chatra Morcha (BCM). Later, a woman associated with ABVP filed a complaint, which the police converted into an FIR against 18 people, including AISA and BCM members.
In November, UP Congress President Ajay Rai accused the BJP of involvement in the case, leading to an FIR against him and the burning of effigies of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by the ABVP.
Meanwhile, images of the accused with PM Narendra Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, and other leaders have surfaced on social media.
