Police: 5 minors held for gang-raping classmate

The Hayathnagar police, under Rachakonda police commissionerate limits on the outskirts of Hyderabad, on Tuesday apprehended five juveniles for allegedly gang-raping a 17-year-old classmate in August, an official said.

A police officer said the accused, all minors, and the survivor are students of classes 9 and 10 at a private school.

The girl’s father approached police on Monday after the accused circulated videos of the purported rape on Whatsapp, the officer said. In her complaint, the survivor alleged the accused visited her residence in August when her family was not at home and raped her.

“She said one of them captured the crime on his phone and threatened to upload it on social media... She added that after 10 days, two accused raped her again,” the officer said, on condition of anonymity.

A case was registered under relevant sections of IPC, besides the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and the IT Act.

Hayathnagar police inspector H Venkateshwarlu said the accused were also booked under section 376DA of IPC.