Manhunt launched to nab gangrape accused

Patna: The Jharkhand police on Friday launched a manhunt to nab criminals involved in gangrape of five NGO workers associated with an anti-trafficking campaign.

The police officials said that three separate teams have been formed and raids are being conducted at various locations near Khunti and Ranchi to arrest the absconding criminals. Sources claim that the police became active after National Commission for Women (NCW) took cognizance of the matter and wrote a letter to the state DGP asking him to initiate action in the case. The NCW is also planning to send a three-member team to Khunti to probe the matter

The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a group of anti-trafficking campaigners visited a school in Kolchang village under Arki police station of Khunti district, some 90 km from state capital Ranchi.

The police said that five women from the group were picked up by some unidentified motor-cycle borne goons while their male counterparts were beaten up and locked inside their car.

“Incident occurred when the group belonging to an NGO was engaged in a campaign to create awareness through a street play”. Deputy Inspector general (DIG) AV Homkar told reporters.

According to sources from Ranchi, the NGO also runs a shelter home for the rehabilitation of rescued girls in the district. Observers view that this is the first incident when a group involved in awareness drive was subjected to atrocity.