On the run, 5th accused in Delhi gangrape case arrested in UP, puts cops on horns of dilemma

The fifth accused in the brutal gangrape of a young paramedical student here was arrested from Uttar Pradesh, police said today.

However, the age of the offender is unclear and the treatment meted out to him hereafter may be decided after a few days.

"The fifth accused has been arrested in the rape case. His age is being verified before giving details. If minor, we have to hold back his particulars as per law," Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said on Twitter.

If minor, he may escape the worst of charges that may slapped on him and even his incarceration may not be as severe.

With this, five persons have been arrested in the Sunday night incident which sparked widespread outrage across the country.

Sources said the fifth accused was arrested from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh even as there were reports that the sixth accused has been picked from Bareilly. However, police is yet to confirm it.

Yesterday, one of the four accused in the case was "identified" by the victim's friend during a Test Identification Parade (TIP) at Tihar Jail here.

The 23-year-old victim's male friend, an engineer in a software company, identified Mukesh during TIP, a senior police official said.

Out of the four accused, only Mukesh had agreed to TIP when he was produced before a court here yesterday. Other accused – Ram Singh, Pawan and Vinay – had refused to undergo TIP.

According to the official, the positive identification of Mukesh by the friend, who was also beaten up by the gang before the men allegedly raped the girl, is a shot in the arm of the prosecution as it would help them nail the other culprits.

Police have invoked the stringent charges of attempt to murder and destruction of evidence against the accused.

Investigators had earlier pressed charges against them under sections 365 (kidnapping or abducting), 376 (2)(g) (gang rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 394 (hurting in committing robbery) and 34 (common intention) of IPC.

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