Palampur gang-rape: Absconding accused arrested in Gorakhpur

Three men, who were on the run after allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl, have been arrested from Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh, police said today.

The accused have been identified as Ajay, Nishu and Shashi. They were absconding since April 26 when they, along with two minors, allegedly raped the teen in a forest, near Palampur, in Himachal Pradesh.

The minors were apprehended on April 28.

The accused spent a night in Kapurthala district of Punjab, before fleeing to Gorakhpur, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Kangra Santosh Patial said.

The three accused, in their twenties, worked as labourers and were being brought to Dharamsala, he added.

With this, all the accused in the case have been nabbed, the SSP said, adding that none of the accused was known to the victim.

The accused had attacked the victim and her male friend while they were returning home from the Garh Mata temple. They had allegedly beaten up the girl's friend, dragged her into the forest and raped her.