Mysuru(PTI): Five labourers allegedly involved in the rape of a college student near Mysuru earlier this week have been arrested, Karnataka DG and IGP Praveen Sood said on Saturday.
The five, who frequented Mysuru often, are from the "labour class" doing jobs like wiring, carpentry and driving, he said, adding, they hailed from Tirupur in Tamil Nadu.
"As per preliminary interrogation, one of them is a juvenile -- a 17-year-old -- subject to confirmation", he said.
The sixth one is absconding.
They accosted the college student and her male friend near the Chamundi foothills on the outskirts of Mysuru on August 24 and tried to rob them. When they did not succeed, they allegedly assaulted him and raped her, police sources said. "It's a case of robbery first", Sood said, adding, the culprits also demanded Rs three lakh but declined to go into details. However, he said there was no blackmail angle to the incident so far.
Sood said the arrested used to come to Mysuru for some work with their friends to Bandipalya APMC yard, a wholesale vegetable market, from the neighbouring state.
"Before going back (home to Tamil Nadu), they had the habit of drinking (alcohol) and partying. They were there on that day (August 24). What happened thereafter all of you know", Sood said.
Police sources said the victim was so traumatised that she was not in a position to give statement to police on the incident.
"We have to be sensitive to the trauma she is suffering", Sood said, adding, police could gather information from her male friend but it was "limited" as he was unconscious and the incident happened between 7 pm and 8 pm (when it was dark). There is information that some of the accused had "criminal background" and were involved in cases in Tamil Nadu but it needed to be verified, according to him.
"We will file the charge-sheet as soon as possible", Sood said, adding, Forensic Science Laboratory teams are working "full-time" as part of the investigation.
He requested the High Court to expedite trial in the case. Sood said a special prosecutor would be appointed if required and efforts would be made to see that the perpetrators get punishment as soon as possible.
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Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into alleged irregularities in the rejoining of a teacher at City Intermediate College in Barabanki, observing that the reinstatement appeared to be prima facie illegal.
The court also directed the recovery of the salary paid to the teacher during the disputed period.
A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the college management committee. The court expressed doubts over the roles of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Barabanki, the college principal and the teacher concerned and hence, directed a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Taking note of alleged manipulation of records and misleading submissions, the court ordered the immediate transfer of the Barabanki DIOS to ensure a fair probe. It also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the then joint director of education of the Ayodhya division.
In its order, the court found that the teacher, Abhay Kumar, was initially appointed as an assistant teacher in 2018 but joined an Eklavya Model Residential School in Chhattisgarh as a lecturer in June 2024 without obtaining permission from the management. His subsequent request to retain the lien was rejected.
Despite this, he was allowed to rejoin the Barabanki College in September 2025 on the directions of the joint director of education and the DIOS, and was even paid the salary for October 2025. The court termed the rejoining "wholly illegal" and lacking any legal basis.
The bench also expressed concern over lapses in communication within the education department and directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure that official orders are communicated through email and WhatsApp as well, to prevent disputes.
The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28 when a compliance report is sought.
