The city police on Saturday claimed to have solved the recent gang-rape of a National Law School of India University (NLSIU) student on the Jnanabharathi campus here with the arrest of seven men.
The victim had alleged that a gang of eight men raped her in the forest on October 13.
The city police arrested six wood cutters belonging to the Iruliga tribe, at Ramnagara on Saturday. Earlier, they said two other members of the same tribe, Rama and Raja, were absconding. Rama was arrested later, after being shot in the leg by a policeman whom he attacked.
Two special teams working on the case, led by CK Achukattu police inspector Malatesh and Kengeri inspector Satyanarayana, intercepted Rama and Raja along with a gang of wood cutters on the Jnanabharathi Campus on Saturday evening.
The police fired three rounds, including one in the air, in self defence, when the gang attacked them with lethal weapons.
“We got information that the gang was cutting trees on the campus. The two special teams intercepted four men felling trees behind the Bangalore University Microbiology Department on the campus. When asked to surrender, Rama attacked Ramachandra, a constable of the Jnanabharathi Police Station, with an axe.
When Rama was about to attack Ramachandra in the neck, one of the inspectors fired in the air. When the gang continued the attack, the police fired two rounds in self defence. Rama was injured in the leg. The other three men, including Raja, another accused in the gang-rape, escaped,” said S N Siddaramappa, DCP (West).
Ramachandra was injured in the left hand. He is said to be out of danger. Ramachandra and Rama were admitted to Victoria Hospital. Police sources say Ramachandra had identified that Rama and Raja were involved in the gang-rape.
Police Commissioner B G Jyothi Prakash Mirji told the media that the police had arrested six men at Ramanagara. The arrested were identified as Mallesha, 20, Maddura, 20, Doddaerayya, 19, Shivanna, 20, Erayya, 20, and Yaliyaiah, 23. Iruliga tribals are predominantly wood cutters. The police claimed that the accused had confessed to the gang-rape of the NLSIU student on October 13 night on the Jnanabharathi Campus.