American tourist gang raped in Manali

Manali: In a shocking incident a 29-year-old tourist from California(USA) was gang-raped in wee hours here today.

According to police sources, the victim had arrived from Dharamshala yesterday afternoon and was staying at a private guest house in Old Manali area.

The victim¸ after spending some time in Old Manali went to Vashisht to meet her friends who were staying in another guest house.

According to the statement recorded by the police, the victim left for Vashisht at around 10pm in an auto rickshaw and spent around three hours with her friends.

While she was returning back to her guest house in Old Manali, she took a lift in a loader truck (tipper) in which three youth were also travelling.

Soon after, instead of taking her towards Old Manali, the youths took her towards Palchan on the pretext of taking a short route.

According to the statement of the victim before the police, the youths, taking turns, forcibly gang-raped her inside the tipper somewhere between Bahang and Palchan.

The victim also disclosed that before she was dropped at Manali bus stand at around 3am by the alleged rapists, they also took away her valuables including an IPhone, Camera, $30, Rs 5,000 and around 1500 Thai Baht.

Kullu superintendent of police VK Dhawan, while briefing the media persons at police station Manali said a manhunt had been launched to nab the culprits after lodging an First Information Report that has evoked section 376D, 392, 34 of Indian Penal Code Act.

A medical examination of the victim had been carried out and the report is awaited, said Dhawan.