COIMBATORE: An Odisha-native woman was gang raped at knife point in front of her husband in Tirupur on Wednesday after which the police arrested three migrant workers from Bihar. The incident, which comes a day after seven college students were arrested for the gang rape of a minor in Coimbatore, has evoked sharp political reactions.
The woman, aged 27, with her husband and child, came to Tirupur from Odisha for a job. “They joined for work in a textile firm at Thekkalur. Since they didn’t like the job, the couple decided to return to their home town,” police said.
The couple was at the Pushpa Theatre junction on Monday night when the accused — identified as M Mohammed Nadheem, 23, M Mohammed Danis, 25 and M Mohammed Murshith, 20, all from Bihar and working in a textile unit — struck up a conversation with them.
They lured the couple to their room under the pretext of helping them land a job in the textile firm where they are employed. After having dinner, the trio and the couple slept in the same room.
Past midnight, the trio threatened and took turns to sexually assault the woman at knifepoint after restraining her husband with ropes. The trio then chased away the couple by issuing threats not to open up about the sexual assault incident.
The couple, with the help of some passersby, reached the All Women’s Police Station (AWPS), who then arrested the three youths. Based on a complaint, the police arrested the accused, while the victim woman was admitted to Tirupur Government Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Further inquiries are on.