Inspector M. Shiva Kumar identified the accused as Thati Shivaraj Kumar (22) from Hanuman Nagar in Bhupalpally, and Kodam Vivek (22) and Kuchana Manideep (23), both from Godavarikhani.
Three years ago, the victim was introduced to Shivaraj Kumar, who studied at Balaji Engineering College in Narsampet, through one of her classmates. Since then, Shivaraj Kumar had tried to maintain a friendship with her. A few days ago, when Shivaraj Kumar proposed to her, she declined, saying they should remain friends. Unable to accept her rejection, Shivaraj Kumar decided to rape her.
He enlisted the help of his friend Vivek, who studied BTech at Narsampet Engineering College, and his relative Manideep, who is pursuing an ITI course.
On September 15, Shivaraj Kumar met the girl at her hostel and asked her to accompany him to visit a temple. Along with his two friends, he took her in a car. They purchased beer at Pochamma Maidan and then took her to a lodge. After forcing her to consume alcohol, they gangraped her. They later threatened to kill her if she revealed the incident.
The girl, having exams the next day, did not disclose the incident immediately. After her exams, she visited her hometown in Bhupalpally and confided in her parents, who then lodged a complaint with the police. The police arrested the three youths in Maheshwaram village and seized the car and three mobile phones from their possession.
