Seven held for raping woman, forcing abortion in Gadag

Police in Gadag, Karnataka, have arrested seven people, including a doctor and a nurse, for allegedly raping a 26-year-old woman with a mental illness and forcing her to undergo an abortion. The accused were produced before a court on Friday, and a search for others involved is ongoing.

According to Deccan Herald, Sikandar Bepari and Bharat Koravar raped the woman separately. Hindustan Times, quoting Superintendent of Police Rohan Jagadeesh, reports that four men were involved in the sexual assault on different days and at different places. When the woman became three months pregnant, her parents learnt of the abuse. The accused allegedly tried to suppress the case with money and threats.

Sandeep Navalekar, Dr Nagaraj Kamatar, and nurse Rekha Shirahatti are accused of administering 10 abortion pills to terminate the pregnancy. Police are probing whether the abortion pills were sold without a prescription and if this is part of a larger illegal abortion racket. The victim is receiving medical and psychological support. More arrests are likely.