FIVE more men accused of raping a social media influencer have been hauled into court with black bags pulled over their heads.
Spanish-Brazilian Fernanda, 31, was on a biking trip across India with her partner when she was attacked by a gang of thugs.
EPACops have detained a further five suspects[/caption]
twitter.com/@SlatzismThe couple detailed their ordeal on social media[/caption]
Instagram/@vueltaalmundoenmotoFernanda said she was ambushed after going to sleep in her tent[/caption]
Her boyfriend Vincente, 63, said he was held at knifepoint and was forced to watch the two hour long ordeal on Friday night.
On Monday, three men were dragged into court with sacks on their heads and were remanded in custody over the horror incident.
Cops have now detained a further five suspects in connection with the attack.
They were paraded in court on Tuesday with black bags over their heads, handcuffed and tied to each other in a line by rope behind a row of police officers.
The five men were arrested after the initial trio gave up their names to cops, senior local police officer Pitamber Singh Kherwer told the Press Trust India.
Kherwer insisted if any of the men are found guilty, they will face “strict punishment”.
He added: “We are forming a strong case against them.”
Fernanda, who says she was gang raped by a group of men who took turns attacking her, has called for “justice”.
She said: “‘They [the police] have caught all the criminals, and there were eight in total.
“I ask for justice… [for] all of the women who also have to go through this.”
Fernanda choked back tears as she detailed her harrowing recount of the two-hour ordeal on social media alongside her partner Vincente.
In the clip, brave Fernanda showed bruises on her and Vicente’s face and body.
Fernanda told her followers: “We are in a hospital in India. The police are here too.”
She said they were on their way to Nepal when they decided to pitch their tent in a dark forest camp in the tourist hotspot of Dumka in the eastern state of Jharkhand.
But after they fell asleep, she said a gang of men ambushed their tent.
An angered Vincente said: “They held a knife to my neck and threatened to kill me.
“They raped Fernanda. Seven men. Those sons of b****s.”
He added that he suffered a painful injury after the men “destroyed” his mouth when they hit him with a helmet.
The couple also said their vicious assailants stole 10,000 rupees (£96) in cash and a ring before they ran off.
Police found the couple badly injured on the side of the road at around 11pm.
In an interview with Spanish TV channel Antena 3 on Saturday, Fernanda added: “They raped me, they took turns while some watched and they stayed like that for about two hours.”
The biker couple, who have over 250,000 followers, were on a once-in-a-lifetime trip travelling around the world on motorbikes.
Starting five-years-ago, they have so far visited 66 countries and biked across 170,000km.
The attack has sparked outrage across India with activists calling for an end to violence against women.
The country has a poor record for women’s safety, with more than 31,000 rapes reported in 2022.
With a heartbreaking average of nearly 90 rapes every single day being reported in India, say the country’s National Crime Records.
That is equivalent to one rape every 18 minutes.
APThree men were hauled into court on Monday[/caption]
Instagram/@vueltaalmundoenmotoThe couple are travelling the world on motorbikes[/caption]
Instagram/@vueltaalmundoenmotoThey have biked across 170,000km in five years[/caption]
Instagram/@vueltaalmundoenmotoFernanda has called for justice[/caption]
How you can get help
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
Always keep your phone nearby.
Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
If you are in danger, call 999.
Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.