Hooded ‘gang rapists’ hauled before court after influencer, 31, assaulted by 7 men in horror attack that ‘shames India’

8 months ago 4

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A GANG of men accused of raping a social media influencer have been dragged into court wearing hoods to hide their identity.

The trio were tied up by ropes and led by cops to the hearing as the search continues for the other four men accused of raping and assaulting a woman as her husband was forced to watch.

The suspects of the horror rape were led into court wearing hoods and tied up by rope[/caption]

Fernanda, 31 and her partner Vicente say they were attacked by a gang as they camped in India[/caption]

The couple shared their story on social media showing off their terrifying bruises[/caption]

Spanish–Brazilian Fernanda, 31, says she was assaulted by a group of men, reportedly aged between 20 and 30, in India on Friday.

Fernanda told cops the gang raped her in horrifying shift patterns as others held her partner Vicente at knife point making him watch on in agony.

Harrowing pictures show the three suspects in the nasty group being hauled in bare feet to court from a police van.

Police in Dumka say they are continuing to look for the others on the run.

Pitamber Singh Kherwar, superintendent of police in Dumka, said: “We have formed a team to hunt the remaining suspects.

“We have to ensure strict punishment.”

Vicente said the authorities believe the men will be given life sentences if found guilty.

Kherwar also revealed one of the suspects has already confessed to the crime.

Giving significant information regarding the rest of the fugitives and where to find them.

He continued: “The investigation started as soon as we received the information. We spoke to the victim.

“We detained some people and during interrogation, they admitted their involvement.

“The accused also took some other names. We have formed a team and raids are being conducted to nab the other accused.”

A team of forensic experts are also helping in the case, he said.

The shocked and hurt couple were also seen in court on Monday as they were given around £9,500 in compensation.

They were promised “a speedy trial and conviction” by deputy commissioner Anjaneyulu Dodde.

Several big Indian celebrities labelled the attack “shameful” and called for the strictest punishments possible.

HOW THE HORRORS UNFOLDED

Fernanda choked back tears as she detailed her harrowing recount of the two-hour ordeal on social media alongside her partner Vincente.

Vincente was forced to watch the chilling assault on his lover as the gang held him at knife point, say the couple in the video.

In the clip, brave Fernanda shows her and Vincente covered in dark, nasty bruises on their faces and body.

They held a knife to my neck and threatened to kill me. They raped Fernanda. Seven men. Those sons of b****s

Vincente

Fernanda told her followers: “We are in a hospital in India. The police are here too.”

She went into detail about the events as they unfolded saying the pair were on their way to Nepal before they pitched their tent in a dark forest camp in the tourist hotspot of Dumka in the eastern state of Jharkhand.

But once they fell asleep, a gang of men reportedly rushed their tent.

An angered Vincente then reveals: “They held a knife to my neck and threatened to kill me.

“They raped Fernanda. Seven men. Those sons of b****s.”

He added that he suffered a painful injury after the men “destroyed” his mouth after they hit him with a helmet.

The pair also said their vicious assailants stole 10,000 rupees (£96) in cash and a ring before they ran off.

Police found the couple badly injured on the side of the road at around 11pm.

In an interview with Spanish TV channel Antena 3 on Saturday, Fernanda shared even more about the terrifying attack.

She said: “They raped me, they took turns while some watched and they stayed like that for about two hours.”

The biker couple, who have over 250,000 followers, set off on a once-in-a-lifetime trip travelling around the world on motorbikes.

Starting five-years-ago, they have so far visited 66 countries and biked across 170,000km.

This should not happen to anyone anywhere

Dulquer SalmaanActor

The attack has sparked outrage across India with activists calling for an end to violence against women.

The country has a poor record for women’s safety, with more than 31,000 rapes reported in 2022.

With a heartbreaking average of nearly 90 rapes every single day being reported in India, say the countries National Crime Records.

The equivalent to one rape every 18 minutes.

Many Indian women took to social media to share their own experiences of sexual violence.

Many of these also vented deep frustrations over how their cases are dealt with.

Actor Richa Chadha called the attack “shameful” while comedian Vir Das called for the “strictest punishment” to show such violence would not be tolerated.

A second actor Dulquer Salmaan also said he was “crushed” to hear the news, writing on Instagram: “This should not happen to anyone anywhere.”

The Spanish Embassy took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to also show their support towards woman across the globe.

They wrote: “Thank you all for your support. We need to stand united in our commitment to end violence against women everywhere in the world.”

How you can get help

Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:

Always keep your phone nearby.
Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
If you are in danger, call 999.
Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.

If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.

Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.

You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.