In Patna, a young woman from Gaya, who was preparing for competitive exams, was reportedly gang-raped on Sunday after being taken to a hotel by her boyfriend and three of his friends. Police apprehended all four suspects within a day and shared the case details on Tuesday. The assault occurred in the Fatuha bypass area. Authorities identified the primary suspect as 29-year-old Chunnu Kumar, who had invited the victim to Patna’s Sheetla Mandir under the guise of addressing a conflict between them. The pair had been in a relationship for about six years, initially connecting on Instagram before transitioning to regular phone calls.
Recently, the victim had begun to distance herself, noticing what she described as a “change in behavior” from Chunnu. He allegedly discussed the situation with his friend Sudhanshu Kumar, 19, who is reportedly linked to the local sand mafia and arrived that evening in a Thar SUV, accompanied by two other friends, Aman Kumar, 26, and Roshan Kumar, 25. Upon her arrival at the temple, the four men allegedly coerced her into the vehicle and drove her to a hotel in Fatuha, approximately 15km away. Inside a hotel room, police reported that Chunnu and Sudhanshu assaulted her while Aman and Roshan stood guard outside. After the incident, the suspects fled the hotel, leaving the woman behind.
She managed to reach the nearby police station independently and filed a complaint. Following her report, police conducted searches and arrested the four men individually. The suspects are from various localities: Chunnu from Panchrupiya, Sudhanshu from Didarganj, Roshan from the Nadi PS area, and Aman from Fatuha. Authorities have sealed the hotel room where the incident occurred, and a forensic team has commenced gathering evidence. Investigators are also looking into whether the hotel breached mandatory guest registration protocols. Sub-divisional officer Awadhesh Kumar confirmed the arrests and noted that a thorough investigation is ongoing, focusing on the involvement of each suspect and the circumstances surrounding the crime.
This case has reignited concerns about women’s safety in Bihar, particularly for young students residing away from home for their studies.
