The Rourkela police on Saturday arrested nine teenage boys on the charge of gang-raping a 10th standard girl in tribal-dominated Sundargarh district, 400 km from here. Two of the accused are her classmates.
The victims and the girl have been sent for medical examination. The police have booked all the teenagers under Section 376 (g) of the Indian Penal Code.
The police said the incident took place when the girl was going to her brother-in-law's house at Changajharana village, under the Bisra police station on April 12 evening. The girl is to appear for the High School Certificate examination from April 17.
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Three friends, including two boys, were accompanying her on the hilly and deserted road. They had barely walked two kilometres when all the nine accused waylaid them and asked all except the victim to leave the place.
One of the accused is also scheduled to appear for the HSC examination along with the victim.
Inspector in charge of the Bisra station Subodh Mallick said there was one college-going student among the accused. Six of them were daily wage earners of the same age.
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All the nine teenagers were watching an IPL match at a roadside shop when they spotted the girl going on the lonely road. The victim was dragged away from the main road and the teenagers, who were from the neighbouring village, allegedly assaulted her sexually.
The victim somehow managed to return to her house. On a complaint lodged by her father at the Bisra station, police took all the accused into custody. “If the situation demands, a test identification parade will be conducted,” said Superintendent of Police Himansu Lal over phone from Rourkela.