The prime accused in the horrific Bhopal gang rape and blackmail case Farhan Ali, was shot and injured late Friday night. This comes as he was allegedly attempting to escape police custody. The case involves numerous college students.
According to Priyanka Shukla the Deputy Commissioner of Police, the incident occurred when Ali, who was being taken to Bilkisganj. The accused was being taken for evidence collection. He tried to snatch a sub-inspector’s pistol during a stop for a bathroom break near Sarwar village. However a scuffle occurred between him and the sub-inspector, and the weapon discharged, hitting Ali in the leg.
A separate First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Ali following the escape attempt. The case is being registered under section 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) at the Ratibad police station. For now, Ali is receiving treatment at a local hospital. Two police officers reportedly sustained minor injuries during the altercation.
Accused Justifies Heinous Acts as “Virtuous”
More disturbing revelations came to light during the police interrogation. The officials disclosed that Farhan Ali has shown no remorse for his alleged crimes. A senior police official informed that Ali reportedly described his actions as “virtuous”. He expressed no regret for the suffering he inflicted on the victims. Furthermore, Ali allegedly admitted to forming a group of Muslim boys in college. The group allegedly had a specific intent of targeting Hindu girls for relationships.
The gang befriended the college girls, often under false pretenses. They then took them to secluded locations such as hookah lounges, pubs, or rented rooms. There, the victims were allegedly drugged, raped, and filmed.
The recorded videos were subsequently used to blackmail the women. With the help of these videos they coerce them into further relationships with the group. “Farhan justified these acts, saying that having relationships with Hindu girls and exploiting them was a good deed, as he considered it a virtuous act,” the official said.
Police Investigation Uncovers Wider Network
The henious chain of crimes came to light on April 25 after three students from a private college filed a complaint alleging rape and blackmail. Since then, two more victims have come forward with similar harrowing accounts.
One survivor reported being raped and pressured to convert to Islam. Another narrated the horror of being drugged and sexually assaulted nearly a year ago. Based on this latest testimony, police have added charges of gang rape against Farhan Ali and another accused, identified as Ali.
Targeted vulnerable girls
According to the police investigation the accused allegedly targeted girls who had moved to Bhopal from other cities. The girls who switched their hometown for their studies, believing them to be more vulnerable and less restricted in their movements.
