College student alleges gang rape at villa in north Bengaluru; two booked

A 19-year-old college student has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by her social media friend and his associate at a private villa in north Bengaluru on February 14. The Amruthahalli police have registered a case of gang rape against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

According to the complaint, the woman is a native of Tamil Nadu and a first-year BA student enrolled in a private college in Bengaluru. She came in contact with one of the accused, identified as Dixson Sandro (21), a native of West Bengal, through Instagram about a month ago. The two met at a café in Koramangala, in Bengaluru, and continued to stay in touch.

On the night of February 14, the accused allegedly invited her to a party at a place named Rex Villa, near Jakkur. The complainant stated that she, along with a friend, reached the villa after midnight. Dixson was at the villa with his associate, Nikhil (35), who reportedly is a native of Sakleshpur.

In her complaint, the student alleged that the two men forcibly administered a pink-coloured pill to her, after which she began to feel dizzy and became semi-conscious. She further alleged that both accused sexually assaulted her in a room at the villa against her will.

The woman alleged that she was confined in the room for several hours before being dropped off near a mall, where one of the accused allegedly threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident to anyone.

The woman did not immediately approach the police due to fear, she stated. However, after informing her brother and seeking medical treatment at a private hospital on February 17, she lodged a complaint with the police.

Based on her statement, Amruthahalli police registered a case under Sections 64, 70(1), and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which pertain to rape, gang rape, and criminal intimidation. Further investigation is underway.

Police sources said efforts are on to trace the accused, verify CCTV camera footage, and gather forensic evidence related to the alleged incident.