NEW DELHI: A 16-year-old Class 11 student from Uttar Pradesh was allegedly gang-raped inside a moving sleeper bus after she boarded the vehicle seeking help while stranded in heavy rain, police said.The incident took place on the night of August 4 after the teenager, from Mainpuri district, left home following a disagreement with her family and set out to meet her cousin in Noida.According to police, the girl got off at Pari Chowk by mistake amid heavy rain and darkness. An empty sleeper bus passing through the area then stopped after she signalled for help.

The driver, Kuldeep, and conductor, Sandeep, allegedly told her that the bus was headed towards Noida Sector 63 and allowed her to board.Police said the conductor allegedly began making obscene advances towards the teenager soon after the bus started moving. The girl has alleged that both the driver and conductor subsequently raped her and threatened to kill her when she resisted.The bus then travelled nearly 47 kilometres towards Kashmere Gate. The accused allegedly abandoned the teenager on Ring Road near the Kashmere Gate bus terminal late at night and fled.

The terrified student approached Kashmere Gate police and reported the incident.Police subsequently arrested Kuldeep and Sandeep from a bus parking area in Timarpur and seized the sleeper bus. The vehicle has been sent for forensic examination.Investigators said the bus had earlier broken down and was taken to a workshop in Surajpur for repairs. After the repairs were completed, the driver and conductor were taking the empty bus to Timarpur when they encountered the teenager at Pari Chowk.Police said the sleeper bus had curtains around its berths, which allegedly helped the accused conceal what was happening inside during the journey.The bus covered around 47 kilometres between Pari Chowk and Kashmere Gate before the teenager was allegedly abandoned.Further investigation is underway.