A horrific gang-rape of a 16-year-old girl rocked Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district, with police launching a manhunt for two accused, identified as Abaz and Rizwan, who remain on the run.

The assault, which occurred on April 1, came to light after the victim’s family filed a complaint at the Civil Lines police station on Sunday, April 6, 2025. The accused allegedly abducted the girl in a car from Company Bagh on Meerut Road, took her to a hotel, and raped her while recording the act to blackmail her.

According to the complaint lodged by the girl’s brother, she had been shopping with her mother when they got separated in the crowd. The accused seized the opportunity, forcibly taking her away. After the assault, they threatened her with dire consequences if she spoke out. The girl returned home but stayed silent until her health worsened, prompting her family to act. She was later hospitalized for a medical examination.

Police have charged Abaz and Rizwan under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for gang-rape and abduction, as well as sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Circle Officer Raju Kumar Sav confirmed ongoing efforts to apprehend the suspects. The incident has sparked outrage, reviving memories of past crimes in the region, including a January gang-rape and murder in Budhana. Authorities are under pressure to deliver swift justice as the community reels from yet another brutal assault on a minor.