3 Army men arrested on charges of raping, assaulting woman

Three Army personnel were arrested on charges of raping a woman from Lakshadweep, outraging her modesty, robbery and criminal conspiracy, police said on Friday.

While Muhammed Salim, a sepoy with a Srinagar unit of the Army was arrested on charges of rape, Muhammed Misbah, attached to a Light Regiment in Kolkata, has been charged with outraging her modesty.

Iqbal Hussain, attached with the Army's Para FD Coy in Agra, has been charged with robbery and hatching a criminal conspiracy against her, police said.

All three, hailing from Lakshadweep, were arrested on Thursday by Kochi central police after the woman, an assistant at a city hostel, filed a complaint against them.

Salim called the woman to a lodge on the pretext of marrying her following which he raped her. Later, Salim called Misbah and Hussain to the lodge, they said.

Police said they are verifying whether the other two also tried to sexually assault her.

The woman has alleged that Misbah applied criminal force on her with an intent to outrage her modesty.

She also alleged that Iqbal snatched her mobile phone and some money.

We have informed the respective units in the Army about the incident.