Kochi: A budding fashion model who was gang-raped in a running car claimed that her drink was spiked.

"My modelling friend Dimple Lamba took me to a bar where my beer was mixed with some intoxicant and later I was gang-raped by three young men in the car," the 19-year-old woman from Kasaragod told police.

Dimple, who is a native of Rajasthan, asked me to get into the car even though I was on the verge of passing out, she told the cops who recorded her statement on Saturday.

Her friend excused herself from getting into the car as the youths sped away in the vehicle along with the survivor.

"I was gang-raped by Kodungalloor natives Nithin, Vivek, and Sudeep for nearly 45 minutes as they drove the car around the city on Thursday night," she told police.

According to sources, all three youths are friends of the Rajasthani native who had “deceived and trapped” the young model. The victim reached the bar at Atlantis Junction along with Dimple, who is also into modelling, at 8.30 pm on Thursday.

Dimple was picked up by the accused from the bar after they returned after assaulting the complainant. The latter was then dropped off at her residence at Kakkanad.

The police got to know about the crime when the woman sought treatment at a hospital on Friday morning. The cops soon took the accused into custody from Kodungallur.

In her statement, the woman said she initially refused to lodge a complaint out of fear and that she could identify the accused.