Shock and sensation prevailed near Jamtha and nearby localities falling under the Hingna tehsil after a teenage girl studying in Second Year Bachelor of Technology (BTech) course was abducted at weapon point and sexually assaulted by a man in the jungle near Gawsi Manapur, on Wednesday morning. The news spread like jungle fire on Thursday morning when top brass of the City Police visited the spot to supervise the probe. However, police were yet to identify and nab the culprit even after twenty-four hours of the shocking incident. If the sources are to be believed, the 19-year-old victim from Wardha district was pursuing her studies at an engineering college on Wardha Road. She was staying in the college hostel. During holidays she had gone to her native place on September 27. She wanted to return on October 3 but could not following the death of her relative.

 

On October 4, the victim’s brother dropped her at the bus stand from where she boarded a Nagpur-bound bus. Around 9.45 am, she got down from the bus a few metres from her college hostel on Wardha Road. Holding a bag and a cellphone, she was on way to her hostel. When she was talking to someone on a mobile phone a young man in the isolated area started stalking her. He suddenly caught her hand. When she tried to raise an alarm, he took out an axe and dragged her into the jungle. The culprit threatened to kill her with the axe, took her to an isolated place and sexually assaulted her. Some passers-by heard her screams and rushed to the rescue. The culprit ran away leaving his axe at the spot. The victim contacted her friends using her mobile phone and informed her ordeal. A group of students rushed to the spot and took her to a private hospital. Soon after receiving information, Hingna Police swung into action.

 

Preferring anonymity, a police officer said prima facie the culprit might be a herdsman. On the basis of the description given by the victim, sketches of the suspect were being prepared to establish his identity. A suspect was detained for questioning in this connection, sources said. When contacted, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-I) Anurag Jain informed that separate teams were fanned out in search of the suspects and expressed confidence that the culprit would be brought to book shortly. Hingna Police registered a case under relevant Sections of the IPC and started probe.