Five women campaigning against human trafficking raped in Jharkhand

Five young women who were a part of an anti-trafficking campaign with a non-government organisation were gang raped in Jharkhand's Kunti district when the women had gone to perform a street play.

The women were among the 11 member team who had gone to perform nukkad natak on anti-human trafficking in Kochang village. The women were on their way back when a group of ten armed allegedly abducted them at gunpoint. The men took them to a remote jungle and gang-raped them.

The women were in association with a NGO supported by Christian Missionaries. They were performing in R.C.Mission school in Khunti district.

According to the police the men might be a part of the Pathalgadi movement in the area. Kochang is one of several villages in Khunti district where Pathalgadi movement has, of late, gained political and social steam.

The men then made a video to threaten the women to make it viral if they complained to the police.

"The perpetrators released the women after three hours... a case has been lodged and manhunt is being launched to arrest those involved in this heinous act," Ranchi range Deputy inspector general of Police, A.V. Homkar said to The Hindu.

Pathalgadi is a tribal movement picking up in Jharkhand villages where giant stone plaques are erected declaring their gram sabha as the only sovereign authority and banning 'outsiders', including government officials, from their area.