Fifth accused in Alwar gangrape case arrested from Mathura, oppn parties protest

The fifth accused in the Alwar gangrape case has been arrested from Mathura, 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. A judicial magistrate recorded the victim's statement on Thursday under CrPc section 164, DSP (Alwar Rural) Jagmohan Sharma said.

The accused, Hansraj Gurjar, was arrested Wednesday night, while the search for the prime accused, Chhote Lal Gurjar, is still on, the DSP said. Four other accused --Indra Raj Gurjar, Ashok Gurjar, Mahesh Gurjar and Mukesh Gurjar -- have been arrested so far, the police officer said.

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 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 writing from 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 on 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.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)