Bhopal:

Two young army officers and their women friends were brutally attacked by armed miscreants near Jam Gate, Indore district, Madhya Pradesh, late on Tuesday evening.  The attackers, who initially appeared to have come with the intention of looting, viciously assaulted the officers and gang-raped one of the women.

The police have arrested two of the accused, one of whom was found to have a prior criminal record.

The officers, who are undergoing training at Mhow Army College, had gone out with the women near the firing range at Chhoti Jam in the afternoon.

Suddenly they were surrounded by eight men brandishing pistols, knives, and sticks.  The men beat up the trainee officers and the women before robbing them of their money and belongings.

The situation escalated when the attackers took one officer and a woman hostage, sending the other officer and a woman to fetch a ransom of Rs 10 lakh.

Panicking, the officer hurried back to his unit and informed his commanding officer, who swiftly alerted the police.

Officers from Dial-100, along with military personnel, rushed to the scene, but the attackers fled upon seeing the approaching vehicles.
All four were taken to the Mhow Civil Hospital for medical examination around 6.30 am. Doctors said both officers had been injured.

The medical examination also proved that one of the women was raped, reported news agency Press Trust of India, quoting Lokendra Singh Hirore, in-charge of the Badgonda police station.

“A case under (BNS) sections pertaining to loot, dacoity, rape and under the Arms Act has been registered,” said Indore Rural SP Hitika Vasal, PTI reported. A manhunt has started for the other criminals involved, the officer said.