Foreign student at TISS alleges gangrape,three of six accused held

A 23-year-old foreign national,pursuing a short-term course in Gender Studies and Development at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS),was allegedly gang raped by six students from another institution last Saturday. The victim,said to be an American who lived on campus,complained to Trombay police last evening. After registering a case of rape,police picked up three youths for questioning on Wednesday.

DCP (Zone VI) Dilip Sawant confirmed that the Trombay police were probing the case.”We have detained three boys and are investigating their involvement in the case. We are on the lookout for three other boys who have also been named by the victim,” said Sawant.

According to Trombay police,the six accused are in the age group 20-22,from “good families” and had come to Mumbai to study. Police sources said the woman had gone out drinking with her group of “friends”,which included the six young men,on Saturday night. They reportedly landed at a cafe in Govandi. “After partying for a few hours,the group went to the house of one of the boys in Andheri. The following morning,the woman awoke and realised she had been raped,” said a police official who did not wish to be named.

A TISS statement confirmed the incident. It said that the victim was being “provided legal assistance and counselling”.