8 challans in July, no background check of accused: Shocking details emerge in Noida bus rape case

Delhi Police have revealed new details about the brutal gang rape of a 16-year-old girl on a sleeper bus traveling from Greater Noida to Delhi. According to official reports, the incident occurred on the night of August 4, and investigators are using CCTV footage and mobile phone data to reconstruct the bus’s route. The police have identified the vehicle through these means and have already detained the two accused, Kuldeep, 39, and Sandeep, 26, both residents of Kanpur. Forensic analysis of the victim’s clothing, which contains blood and semen stains, is underway, with samples being compared against DNA collected from the suspects. The investigation uncovered that the bus had received eight traffic challans in the state of Uttar Pradesh in July, with five of them issued in Mathura. These violations primarily concerned speeding, though one fine issued in Hamirpur on July 23 totaled ₹23,000 for allegedly operating the vehicle without a valid permit. Collectively, the fines amount to ₹54,000. The bus was purchased in April and registered in Firozabad on April 28. This information came to light as part of the broader effort to understand the circumstances under which the bus operated prior to the incident. Investigators are currently analyzing CCTV footage from multiple locations, including Pari Chowk in Greater Noida, Timarpur parking, and Kashmere Gate, to determine the exact path the bus took toward Delhi. A key piece of evidence came from a CCTV camera that captured the vehicle entering the Hanuman Mandir flyover, aiding in the reconstruction of its route. Additionally, the location history of a mobile phone associated with one of the accused is being cross-referenced with the footage to identify potential stops along the journey. The travel company responsible for the bus did not conduct a background check of either accused before hiring them, according to police sources. The victim, who had left her home in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, after an argument with her mother, arrived at Pari Chowk in Greater Noida on a rainy night. She boarded the sleeper bus after the conductor allegedly promised her that it would take her to Noida Sector 63, where her cousin lived. However, the bus was not operating its regular service due to a technical issue and had been taken to a workshop in Surajpur for repairs. After the repair, it was being driven toward Kashmere Gate for painting. According to the police investigation, the two accused picked up the girl around 9 p.m. and drove toward Kashmere Gate. They allegedly raped her inside the moving bus and threatened to kill her when she resisted. The girl was later left near Kashmere Gate and took an auto-rickshaw to a police station, where she reported the alleged assault. An FIR was registered, and the victim underwent a medical examination, which confirmed the rape. Police managed to locate the bus within hours by following CCTV leads. Kuldeep and Sandeep were arrested from a parking area in Timapur, and the vehicle was seized. Both men also underwent potency tests. Forensic teams later recovered strands of the girl’s hair from inside the bus. The seat cover and other materials collected from the vehicle are also being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.