Investigation Underway After Alleged Assault on Minor

Delhi Police have arrested a bus driver and conductor in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 16-year-old Class 11 student inside a sleeper bus on the night of August 4. According to police sources, the incident occurred in the Kashmere Gate area of Delhi, and the vehicle has been seized for forensic examination.

The accused have been identified as driver Kuldeep and conductor Sandeep, both from Uttar Pradesh, as reported by multiple outlets. The bus, registered in Uttar Pradesh, was impounded as part of the investigation.

How the Incident Unfolded

The teenager was travelling from Uttar Pradesh to meet her cousin in Noida when she mistakenly got off at Pari Chowk amid heavy rain and darkness, according to police accounts. An empty sleeper bus then arrived, and she signalled for it to stop. Police said the driver and conductor allowed her to board, telling her the bus was headed towards Noida Sector 63.

The Economic Times reported that the girl's account to police included claims that the conductor behaved inappropriately once the bus started moving. Outlook India added that the conductor allegedly made obscene advances, and both men are said to have raped her and threatened to kill her when she resisted. The accused then allegedly abandoned her near the Kashmere Gate bus terminal late at night and fled.

The girl, who had left home without informing her family after a disagreement, called Kashmere Gate police to report the incident. Investigators later arrested both men from a bus parking lot in Timarpur.

Police Investigation and Forensic Examination

The bus had earlier developed a technical problem and was taken to a workshop in Surajpur, Greater Noida, for repairs, according to police. After repairs, the driver and conductor were driving the empty bus towards Timarpur when they encountered the student at Pari Chowk.

Investigators are examining whether the bus's curtained interior concealed the crime during the late-night ride, as reported by Outlook India. The bus has been sent for forensic examination, and a team under ACP Shankar Banerjee has been formed to investigate, according to The Economic Times.

An FIR has been registered under sections dealing with kidnapping, assault, and other charges. The Times of India reported that during inquiry, the accused allegedly told police they thought they would not get caught if they dumped the girl in Delhi. The girl told police she was alone in the bus, which she had boarded at Noida Sector 63.