New gang rape puts question mark on woman safety, police efficiency in India

Three days after gang rape of a mother-daughter in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a female teacher was abducted on way to her school and gang raped, police said Wednesday.

The teacher, according to police officials, was forcibly pulled into a car while on way to school and later subjected to gang rape in Bareilly district, about 246 km northwest of Lucknow city, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

"We received a written complaint last evening where in she (victim) has mentioned that while she was going to school, three unidentified men abducted her and took her to a field to commit rape on her," a senior police official told media.

Following the gang rape, the teacher was dumped in the field along the busy Lucknow-Delhi highway.

Police officials said they have launched a manhunt to nab the culprits. Reports said a police official was suspended in an "immediate damage control exercise."

A close relative of the victim told media she was gang rapped inside a moving car and in the filed nearby.

"She was going to teach when three men forcibly pulled her into a van and chocked her mouth," the relative said. "The men have filmed the whole act and threatened her they would release the video clip on social media in case she complains about it to anyone."

On Friday night, a woman and her 14-year-old daughter were gang raped by a group of men in neighbouring Bulandshahr district. The victim family has threatened to commit suicide if their attackers were not punished within three months.

Though police said they have arrested a few accused in the case, others were said to be at large. The local government in Uttar Pradesh has suspended seven policemen including a top officer of the district for dereliction of duty.

Last month, a 25-year-old Israeli tourist was gang rapped in Manali, a popular tourist town in Himachal Pradesh.

The growing incidents of rape in India put a question mark on safety of women and efficiency of police force in the country.

In Dec. 2012, a fatal gang-rape of a medical student in New Delhi brought spotlight on crimes against women in India.

The incident saw huge protests and resulted in new anti-rape laws in the country. However, brutal sexual attacks against women continue to be reported across India. Endit