65-year-old woman raped after accepting lift

By Sagaya Fernando | May 20, 2025

 

Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, INDIA: In a deeply disturbing incident, a 65-year-old woman was allegedly raped and assaulted by a 35-year-old man who offered her a lift on his scooter late on the night of May 17.

 

The elderly woman, a resident of Himachal Pradesh, was returning from Jalandhar in Punjab, and had arrived at the Bhota bus stand in Hamirpur district around 9 pm. She was trying to arrange transport to her home but could not afford the taxi fare quoted by drivers. At that point, a man – identified as a local tractor driver – approached her and offered a lift, claiming he was headed in the same direction.

 

According to police, shortly after the journey began, the accused began driving the scooter at high speed and deviated from the main road towards a secluded forest area near Jhiraldi. The scooter skidded during the ride, causing a minor accident. When the woman protested, the man allegedly beat her and forcibly took her deeper into the forest, where he raped her.

 

Police further stated that the accused, who was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time, switched the woman's mobile phone to flight mode to prevent her from calling for help. After committing the assault, he fled the scene, leaving the injured woman alone in the forest.

 

The victim reportedly cried for help throughout the night but was not heard due to the isolation of the area. Around 1:30 am, she managed to reach Bhota town, where she informed the police with the help of local residents.

 

Hamirpur Superintendent of Police, Bhagat Singh Thakur, confirmed the incident and said the accused was arrested within hours of the complaint. “The woman was immediately taken for medical examination, and based on her statement, the accused was tracked down and apprehended from a nearby forest where he was hiding,” Thakur said.

 

The man, who is married, is currently in police custody. Charges of rape, assault, and criminal intimidation have been filed against him. Authorities have assured that the investigation will be conducted swiftly and sensitively.