A third person - a juvenile - has been apprehended in connection with the gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl in Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills last week, Telangana Police said Saturday morning. A total of five persons - including three juveniles - have been listed as the accused and police have apprehended three, of whom two are minor boys. The second person was taken into custody earlier today. The first - 18-year-old Saduddin Malik - was arrested yesterday.
The juvenile accused will be produced before an appropriate court to determine custody, police said. "In continuation (with) arrest of accused Saduddin Malik, two children in conflict with law were apprehended by Jubilee Hills police today. They are being produced before Juvenile Court for custody," police also said.
One of the juveniles apprehended is the son of a VIP, police have confirmed; the BJP has alleged involvement of kin of politically influential persons belonging to the AIMIM, according to news agency PTI.
READ: Hyderabad gangrape - 2nd of 5 accused, also juvenile, apprehended
The girl was allegedly gang-raped as she was returning home from a party in the city's posh Jubilee Hills area on May 28.
The sexual assault came to light only after her father submitted a complaint to the police. After this a police case was registered against the five accused.
{{/usCountry}}The sexual assault came to light only after her father submitted a complaint to the police. After this a police case was registered against the five accused.
{{/usCountry}}READ: Schoolgirl gang-raped by 5 after party in Hyderabad
Joel Davis, the deputy commissioner of Telangana Police (West Zone), told reporters the accused were identified via CCTV footage and the girl's statement.
The footage - which has been widely shared on social media - shows the girl standing with the accused. The boys reportedly offered to drop her home. Instead, she was assaulted inside a parked car; her attackers took turns raping her while the others stood guard.
READ: Hyderabad teen’s ordeal - From school party to gang rape
Police initially booked the unnamed accused under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code, which is 'assault or criminal force intended to outrage modesty' and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
On Thursday, gang rape charges under section 376 of the IPC were added after speaking to the girl and on the basis of a medical report.
Police have also said there is no truth to rumours the home minister's son-in-law is involved. "Among the five culprits who were identified, three are minors. One accused - Saduddin Malik - has been arrested. The allegation that the home minister's son-in-law is involved is baseless," Davis told reporters on Friday.
The horrific incident has also triggered a political blame-game, with the opposition BJP claiming 'names of the rapists are being guarded zealously'.
Telangana minister KT Rama Rao has requested the government and police to take 'immediate and stern action' to apprehend and punish the accused.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked police why there was a delay in registering the FIR. The NCPCR has also demanded a FIR against the pub in question for allowing entry to minors.
With input from ANI, PTI