Karnataka Police have arrested three men in connection with the alleged gangrape and blackmail of a 19-year-old college student from Magadi town in Bengaluru South district. The arrests were made after the survivour filed a formal complaint at the Magadi police station, detailing months of harassment and abuse.

The accused have been identified as Vikas and Prashanth, both college students, and Chetan, an electrician. All three are residents of the same locality and were acquainted with the survivour for several months, police said.

Investigators revealed that the woman first came into contact with Vikas nearly six to seven months ago through social media. He allegedly built a relationship with her by gaining her trust and promising marriage. During this period, police said he secretly recorded videos of their private moments without her knowledge. These videos were later shared with the other two accused.

The situation reportedly escalated in October when Vikas allegedly used the recorded footage to threaten the survivour. Police said she was coerced into meeting him at Chetan’s house in Magadi, where all three men allegedly sexually assaulted her. The assault was also filmed, and one of the accused later circulated the video on WhatsApp.

Where did the Incident Take Place

The incident is said to have taken place while Chetan’s wife was away at her parental home following childbirth. Unable to cope with the continued threats and harassment, the survivor eventually informed her family and approached the police.

Based on her complaint, a case was registered on December 17 under Sections 64 (rape), 70 (gangrape), and 71 (punishment for repeat offenders) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The accused were arrested on Wednesday and have been remanded to judicial custody at the Ramanagara district prison.

Confirming the arrests, Bengaluru South District Superintendent of Police Srinivas Gowda said, “Two of them are students, and one is employed. All three were known to the victim and had been acquainted with her for more than a couple of months.”

In another statement, he added, “Three accused have been arrested in the case. All of them are known to the survivor and misused that familiarity to commit the crime.”

Police have seized the mobile phones belonging to the accused and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory to retrieve deleted data and determine the extent of video circulation. Investigators are also examining whether similar recordings involving other women exist.

Further investigation is underway to establish if the accused were involved in additional cases and to identify anyone else who may have received or shared the videos.

A senior police officer urged victims of sexual exploitation to come forward, stating, “Silence only emboldens offenders. Reporting such crimes at the earliest helps prevent further abuse and ensures accountability.”