Girl on trip to Puducherry raped by auto driver, tourists

PUDUCHERRY: A 16-year-old Mumbai girl, who came to Puducherry for a trip along with her parents last week, was allegedly kidnapped and raped, first by an auto driver and then by a group of tourists, after she stepped out of the house due to a tiff with her parents. She was spotted on Puducherry Beach Road on November 1, after police launched a search for her based on a missing complaint filed on October 31.

According to police sources, the girl, who had been staying at a relative’s house with her parents, left the house at 9.10 pm on October 30 after an argument with her parents. Police sources said that she then boarded an auto when the driver, Khawaja Moinuddin (34) of Kottakuppam, told her that he would show her around Puducherry.

Investigations revealed that sensing her vulnerability and recognising that she did not know the place and roads well, Moinuddin allegedly gave her alcohol and took her to his house in Kottakuppam where he allegedly raped her.

She was then dropped off near the Puducherry beach road where she was found by four tourists, still under the influence of alcohol. According to police, they took her to Chennai, raped her and dropped her at the same location in Puducherry.