Published on November 22, 2023
AHMEDABAD: On an evening in October 2019, a young couple started from GIFT City near Gandhinagar, and hoping to spend time at a quite spot, took the Infocity to Adalaj road and then Thol Road parallel to Narmada canal.
However, the evening soon turned ugly for the couple. They were stopped near Kindal bridge by two men on a motorbike and threatened with a baseball bat and knife. The young man was separated from the woman and his hands and legs bound with a dupatta.
The woman was dragged to nearby bushes where she was raped by both the accused. The duo also robbed Rs 4,000 from the couple and fled the spot after threatening the couple. The incident came to light after the couple reached the main road and the woman called up her father.
Kadi police station of Mehsana recorded a case of gang rape and robbery with other sections of the IPC. In October 2023, four years after the incident, a Mehsana sessions court convicted the accused. The judgment mentioned the role of DNA report of the crime scene as important evidence that linked the accused to the crime.
The state Directorate of Forensic Sciences (DFS) handles an average 40 samples for DNA analysis monthly related to serious offences, said officials.“In the past five years, the number has increased by 30% due to increased awareness and application of forensic methods. An initiative has been undertaken recently where officials of the rank of police sub-inspector (PSI) and above are trained in crime scene management including sample collection.
The proper collection of samples – at the crime scene and at the hospital in case of body-related offences – is equally important,” said an official.
Officials added that longevity of the samples also help in connecting more than one case if the accused are the same. “Unfortunately, in cases such as targeting the unsuspecting couples at desolate spots, not many come forward to lodge a complaint. The evidence is also not preserved in such cases,” said the official.
Parth Shastri Archive 