Minor girl gang-raped in Janani Express Ambulance in MP, two arrested

Bhopal, Nov 28
In a shocking incident, a 16-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped by two men in a moving ambulance in Madhya Pradesh's Mauganj district.

According to police, the incident occurred on November 25 under the jurisdiction of Hanumana police station, around 30 km from district headquarters Mauganj. Hanumana tehsil of the newly established Mauganj district shares a boundary with the Mirzapur district of Utter Pradesh.

The victim told the police that two men kidnapped her and forced her into a Janani Express Ambulance where she was gang-raped. It is also called '108- Ambulance'. The Janani Express Ambulance is operated by the state government under the PPP model to provide emergency transportation facilities to expectant mothers, sick infants and BPL families in rural parts of Madhya Pradesh.

Police said both the accused persons identified as Virendra Chaturvedi (ambulance driver) and his friend Rajesh Kewat were arrested on Wednesday night.

The accused persons are residents of Naigarhi tehsil in Mauganj district, which is located around 50 km from Hanumana tehsil where this alleged incident took place.

"Victim had lodged an FIR on November 25, alleging that she was gang-raped. The medical test confirmed rape and a search was initiated. Both accused persons have been arrested from Nagari on Wednesday," Mauganj Superintendent of Police (SP) Sarna Thakur said.

More details were awaited on the case.

This shocking incident came one month after a newly married woman was gang-raped by a group of men in adjoining Rewa district on October 21. The victim had gone for a picnic with her husband in the Gurh town where she was kidnapped and then gang-raped. Eight accused persons were arrested in connection with the case.

Mauganj, which used to be a tehsil of Rewa district, was made a separate district comprising three tehsils -- Mauganj, Naigarhi and Hanuman in 2023.