Abduction charge added, accused face arrest

Five days after a 19-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted and dragged by three youths into their car, UT Police on Monday booked the trio for making an attempt to abduct.

"On Sunday, we recorded the statement of the victim again and it will be used as a supplementary statement. We have added additional sections of attempt to kidnap (Section 365, 511 of IPC) in the existing FIR," said a senior police officer investigating the case. "Our team will raid the houses of the three accused and they will be arrested."

On September 19, Komal and her friend Himani Khurana, both final year BA students of Government College in Sector 42, were walking to the local bus stop near the market when Komal was allegedly attacked by three youths after she retaliated against their lewd remarks. Komal suffered injuries on her head and both arms and was admitted to GMSH-16 from where she was discharged after treatment.

Initially, the police had booked the accused on charges of assault or applying criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty (Section 354 of IPC); voluntarily causing hurt (Section 323 of IPC) and furtherance of common intention (Section 34 of IPC).

The accused — Lakhbir, Karan and Khushwinder, all in their early 20s — were arrested and released on bail within a few hours.

Asked why the said section (attempt to abduct) was not included in the FIR, the officer said, "In the initial statement, it was not clear that the accused had dragged her into their vehicle. That's why we did not book the accused for attempt to abduction. When the victim complained about the charges being too mild, we got her statement recorded again to be certain about the facts."

Earlier in the day, Komal's father Harish Kohli met UT Senior Superintendent of Police Naunihal Singh. "I met him today and he assured me that strict action would be taken against the accused," Harish said.

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