POLICE have arrested eight men in connection with abduction and gangrape of two orchestra dancers at gunpoint in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district. The accused perpetrators forced the victims into their vehicles and took them toa housewherethecrimewas committed, police said. The victims were abducted at gun point from ahouse underthe Ramkola police station jurisdiction on Monday night, according to police.

 

The perpetrators arrived in two SUVs and, amid continuous firing,took the girls to the house of one of the accused Ajit Singh in the Kaptanganjarea, wheretheallegedgang-rapewas committed, said Kushinagar Superintendent of PoliceSantosh Kumar Mishra. The accused,identified as Nagendra Yadav, Ashwan Singh, KrishTiwari,Arthak Singh,Ajit Singhand Dr Vivek Seth, were arrested on Monday night.Two other accused Nisar Ansari andAdityaSahni were arrested after anencounter onTuesday evening, police said.According to police, a cache of weapons, includingillegal firearms, ammunition, and vehicles, were recoveredfrom the accused. The seizeditems included two SUVs, amotorcycle without numberplate, an illegal factory-made pistol, seven-shot guns, fourillegal pistols, ten spent cartridges, twelve live rounds, eleven mobile phones, and aNepali SIM card.