In Madhya Pradesh amid coronavirus crisis, an 18-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped by seven people, including three minors, when she was returning to her village near Betul, with her brother, police said on Thursday.
The seven accused threw the teen’s brother in a well before raping her on the intervening night of April 29-30, according to the police.
Five accused, including the three minors, have been arrested while two are on the run, an official said.
Rajendra Dhurve, Kotwali Police Station in-charge said that the woman was returning on a motorbike with her 21-year-old brother on Wednesday night to their village.
“The seven accused intercepted the motorbike and threw the woman’s brother in a well at around 8.30 pm,” he added.
The accused took turns to rape the woman till 2 am on Thursday, he said.
The woman rescued her brother from the well, after the accused left her. They reached the village in the morning, police said.
The two later filed a police complaint.
“Two of the accused, identified as 22-year-old Shubham Bele and 23-year-old Sandeep Khatiya, and three minors were taken into custody,” said Dhurve.
Rest two of them are at large. They are identified as Lokesh Soni, who is 22-year-old and 24-year-old Pawan Bele, the police officer said.
Police said that the accused have been charged under IPC sections 376 for rape, 365 for kidnapping and 307 for attempt to murder.