5 held for minor’s gang rape in Bengal

Speaking on condition of anonymity, police officials aware of the investigation said that one of the accused minors, a 14-year-old boy, was a friend of the survivor and asked her to meet him on Tuesday night.

Five people, including two minors, have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a 14-year-old tribal girl in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, police officials familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

The five accused gang-raped the girl and dumped her near her house the next morning, the officials said. (HT File)

Speaking on condition of anonymity, police officials aware of the investigation said that one of the accused minors, a 14-year-old boy, was a friend of the survivor and asked her to meet him on Tuesday night. He then lured her to a house, where the four other accused were also present. The five accused then gang-raped the girl and dumped her near her house the next morning, the officials said.

“We have arrested all five persons based on a complaint lodged by the victim’s family. They have been booked under the [Protection of Children from Sexual Offences] Pocso Act,” said Birbhum superintendent of police (SP) Shyam Singh.

The girl has been admitted to a hospital in Rampurhat, police said.