Key accused among two held in Alwar gangrape case; oppn parties hold protests

Two more men, including the key accused, have been arrested in connection with the Alwar gangrape case, police said Thursday, even as opposition parties held protests against the Rajasthan government for allegedly covering up the matter due to the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

IGP (Jaipur Range) S Sengathir said judicial magistrate recorded the victim's statement on Thursday under Section 164 of the CrPc.

While Hansraj Gurjar was arrested Wednesday night from Mathura, the key accused, Chhote Lal Gurjar, was arrested Thursday from Pragpura in Alwar district, the IGP said.

Chhote Lal, who was the sixth accused to be arrested, has a criminal history, he said.

The IGP said that accused Indra Raj Gurjar was sent to jail for identification parade and others -- Mukesh Gurjar, Mahesh Gurjar, Ashok Gurjar -- were produced in court and sent for police remand till May 13.

Hansraj and Chhote Lal will be produced in court on Friday.

The gangrape evoked sharp criticism from all sections of the society, with political parties protests holding protests in various parts of the state, including Ajmer, Alwar, Swai Madhopur and Churu. They cornered the Rajasthan government for allegedly covering up the matter due to the Lok Sabha elections in the state.

BJP leaders said went to the Collectorate Circle Thursday to present a memorandum to the district collector, but he was not available.

"We had taken prior permission and time in written from the district collector to present the memorandum but he was not available. It is a serious issue. People want to know who had given the order to cover up the matter during elections," BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said.

BJP state president Madan Lal Saini termed it a "gruesome crime" and a "blot" on the state. "Why was timely action not taken in the matter? The case was covered up considering the loss in the Lok Sabha election. Those Congress leaders who gave the order to cover up the case are equal criminals," he claimed.

On April 26, the woman was going to a place from her village on a motorcycle with her husband when the accused, who were on two bikes, stopped them on Thanagazi-Alwar bypass and took them to an isolated place off the road.

They beat the husband and raped her in front of him, threatening them of dire consequences.

Mukesh Gurjar filmed the incident in his mobile phone. The victims went to the police when the accused demanded money for not circulating the video on social media, but the FIR was lodged on May 2.