VIJAYAPURA: A group of five rapists allegedly gang-raped a minor girl, aged 15 years on the outskirts of Kolhar, near Vijayapura and later circulated a video-clipping of the gangrape on social networking sites.
According to the police, the gangrape on the minor which took place on April 16 came to light on April 24. The girl and her family lodged a case against the gang of rapists only when the video-clip of the gangrape turned viral on social media sites on April 24.
Launching an investigation into the incident on April 24, the police arrested four of the accused who are identified as Anil Lamani, Somanath G, Anil Herkal and Anand M.
However, the fifth accused Arun Rathod is still at large but the police have intensified their search for him. According to the police, all the accused are said to below 30 years of age.
On April 16, the gang members who are friends and residents of the same townhome as the girl and took her in an autorickshaw saying that some of her relatives are waiting for her on the town's outskirt. Later, the gang took her to a secluded place out of the town and gang-raped her. The five members also video-recorded the rape on their mobile phones.
Members of the gang shared the video clips of the gangrape on social media sites which soon turned viral. As soon as the victim got to know about the viral clip, she rushed to the police station and registered a case in the Kolhar police station on April 24.
According to sources, she failed to register a complaint with the police on the day she was gang-raped fearing that her family's reputation could get tarnished. She decided to file a complaint only after the video clips of rape turned viral. After she had lodged the complaint, the victim underwent a medical test that confirmed the rape on her.
The case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). The investigating police have appealed to the cybercrime division to immediately get the viral video removed from social media sites.