Swiss woman's gang-rape: trial to begin today

Datia, Madhya Pradesh: Two weeks after a Swiss national was gang-raped in Madhya Pradesh' Datia district, the trial in the case will begin at a local court there today.

The Datia police have filed a chargesheet against six accused in the case. While four of them have been charged with gang-raping the 39-year-old woman, two others have been booked for robbing and assaulting the woman and her husband.

The police filed a 100-page chargesheet in the case on March 26 without conducting the test identification parade (TIP). Sources in the police said the parade could not be conducted because the victim was of the opinion that she would not be able to recognise the accused as the assault on her took place at night.

Senior police officers investigating the case have said this would not weaken their case as they have enough forensic evidence to prove the charges against the accused.

"We will rely more on scientific evidence like DNA finger-printing, samples of hair and vaginal swab collected and examined in the case to nail the culprits in the court of law," Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Chambal Range, D K Arya said.

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"We have also seized the victim's laptop, laptop-charger and mobile phone from the six arrested accused in this case and all these things were recognised by the victim's husband," he added and pointed out that all these things would act as strong evidence against the accused.

The Swiss national and her husband were camping in an open near a forest on March 16 when a gang of armed men raped her and then assaulted and robbed the couple of their valuables

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The couple were touring the region on a bicycle as part of their India tour. The incident triggered a public outcry and rocked the state assembly which was adjourned sine die after opposition Congress stalled the proceedings.