Gayaji: A 21-year-old BA student was allegedly gang-raped near a railway track in Bihar’s Gayaji district after she deboarded a passenger train following an unscheduled halt caused by chain pulling, police said. Five accused have been arrested within 24 hours of the incident.
According to the complaint filed by the survivor, the incident took place on the night of May 1 when she was travelling on the Patna–Gayaji passenger train to visit her maternal grandparents near Belaganj. She was supposed to get down at Niyamatpur halt, but stepped off earlier when the train stopped between Belaganj station and the halt due to chain pulling.
In her statement to police, the student said she began walking towards her grandparents’ house, located a short distance away, using a shortcut. However, the stretch was dark and deserted, prompting her to turn back towards the train out of fear. At that point, she was allegedly overpowered by a group of men.
“They grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth. I was dragged across the railway track to a secluded area and sexually assaulted,” she told police in her statement.
The survivor said she later managed to walk some distance despite severe pain and contacted her relatives, initially informing them that she had lost her way. Her family members then went out searching for her and alerted the police.
Police officials said the crime occurred in an isolated area surrounded by bushes and narrow pathways near the railway line, with minimal habitation nearby. A visit to the spot revealed a deserted stretch with little movement even during the day.
Belaganj police registered an FIR and conducted a medical examination of the survivor. Senior officers said a coordinated investigation involving forensic teams and technical surveillance led to the swift arrest of all five accused.
Providing details, City SP Kota Kiran Kumar said the train had been deliberately stopped by chain pulling carried out by three of the accused. “The victim deboarded the train mistakenly. After the train resumed, she was walking alone when three accused intercepted her and took her to a secluded spot, where two others joined them. The crime was then committed,” he said.
The arrested accused have been identified as Ankit Kumar, Rahul Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Amarendra Kumar alias Mathura Yadav, and Upendra Kumar alias Bhutta. Further investigation is underway.
The incident has raised serious concerns over passenger safety, especially in isolated railway stretches, and the misuse of chain pulling.
