Police have arrested six men and detained three minors in connection with the alleged gang-rape a 14-year-old girl in Gujarat's Dang district, an official said on Sunday.
The incident took place around two months back, but came to light recently when a relative of the girl came across a video of the crime on a social media platform. The purported act was recorded by one of the accused on his mobile phone and later circulated on social media, he said.
The girl was allegedly raped first by a minor friend in Ahwa taluka while he was accompanying her back home from a neighbouring village after attending a marriage function, police inspector N H Savseta said.
Eight other friends of the boy, who were waiting en-route, later took her forcefully to a nearby forest where two of them allegedly raped her, the official said.
Out of the nine accused, six are in their early 20s and three are minors, he said.
One of the accused recorded a video of the act on his mobile phone before all of them fled on seeing some people coming in their direction, he said.
"Before leaving, they threatened the girl not to inform about the incident to anybody. The girl remained silent for about two months. Recently, one of her relatives came across the gang-rape video and informed her parents. They then approached the police and an FIR was lodged on December 23," the official said.
"All the nine accused were arrested on December 24. The guardians of the three minors secured their bail, while the six men were sent to police remand by a court," he said.
The case was registered against the accused under various Indian Penal Code Sections, including 376 (D)(A) (gang rape on minor), 506 (2) (criminal intimidation), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) and 114 (abettor present when offence committed), he said.
The accused were also booked under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act, the official said, adding that further investigation into the case was underway.
