Woman Betrayed, Assaulted, and Abandoned in Betul Forest
A horrific case of betrayal and sexual violence has emerged from Betul district, where a 21-year-old woman survived a gang-rape, abandonment, and a suicide attempt. The incident, which unfolded over the nights of January 3 and 4, has led to the arrest of three accused persons by the Ghoradongri police.
A Night of Horror in the Ghoradongri Jungle
According to police officials, the survivor had befriended a 25-year-old man identified as Shambhu Navde. On the night of January 3, when she was alone at her home, Shambhu arrived with a friend named Rawat Uike (22) and persuaded her to elope with him. Trusting him, the woman packed her belongings and left.
After travelling some distance, Rawat Uike left the duo. Shambhu then contacted another person, Pankaj Uike (24). The woman was subsequently taken to a secluded forest area in Ghoradongri. There, she was allegedly raped first by Shambhu Navde and then by Pankaj Uike.
Desperate Wait and Suicide Attempt in Tawa River
After the brutal assault, both men fled, leaving the traumatised woman alone in the dark forest. In a state of shock and despair, she waited through the entire night, clinging to the hope that Shambhu would return for her. When dawn on January 4 broke and he did not appear, she was overcome with hopelessness.
Realising she had left home with her bag and had nowhere to go, the woman walked to the Tawa river and jumped in, attempting to end her life. She survived the suicide attempt because the water level was shallow. However, the fall caused a serious fracture to her waist, leaving her bedridden in hospital.
Police Action and Arrests
The woman's parents took her to the hospital for treatment. On January 5, the Ghoradongri police outpost received information about the incident from the hospital. A case was immediately registered.
Acting swiftly on the information, police arrested all three accused. Amrapali Dahat, the in-charge of the Ghoradongri police outpost, stated that the accused were planning to escape to Hyderabad. They were apprehended, produced before a court, and sent to jail.
The main accused, Shambhu Navde (25), is charged with befriending and then raping the woman. Pankaj Uike (24) is the second person accused of rape. Rawat Uike (22), who initially accompanied Shambhu to the woman's house, has also been arrested for his involvement in the crime.
The survivor remains hospitalised, undergoing treatment for her physical injuries while grappling with the profound psychological trauma of the ordeal.
