Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav orders SIT probe into Sidhi rape case

Bhopal/Sidhi (Madhya Pradesh): Taking cognizance of the incident in which the accused allegedly raped seven college students, including four minor girls and three women, in Sidhi after posing as a college staff member using a voice modulation app and calling them to discuss scholarships, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Rewa district Inspector General Mahendra Sikarwar on Saturday announced the arrest of all three accused, adding that a nine-member SIT has been formed. Sidhi Subdivisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Roshni Singh Thakur will head the SIT.

Addressing a press conference, IG Sikarwar said the main accused hatched a plan to violate the modesty of the affected students and committed the crime under the pretext of offering them scholarships. The main accused was identified as Brijesh Prajapati, 30, who was assisted by his two accomplices – Rahul Prajapati and Sandeep Prajapati, all residents of Sidhi. All the survivors belong to a marginalized community, Sidhi police said.

Main accused suffers burns on hands in accident in Jabalpur

Throwing light on the details of the incident, the IG said that during questioning, Brijesh Prajapati had stated that he had worked in a steel factory in Jabalpur three years ago. He added that Prajapati had claimed that he had suffered severe burns on his hands and legs in an explosion at the factory. Sometime later, he had travelled to Gujarat and after returning, he had an idea to commit the crime, Sikarwar added. Moreover, Prajapati had imitated the voice of a college staff member using a voice modulation app and called the target to a deserted area to commit the heinous act.

Accused snatched survivors’ mobile phones to evade police action. Members of the SIT team investigating the incident said Prajapati committed the crime in the dark hours to avoid being caught by the police. They added that he took the target woman on the motorcycle while wearing a helmet and gloves to conceal his identity. He also snatched the women’s mobile phones after the rape to evade police action, police said. Later, he sold the mobile phones with the help of his two accomplices Rahul and Sandeep. Police said a total of 16 mobile phones were seized from the possession of the arrested accused.