BELAGAVI: In a shocking and brutal crime reported from Belagavi district, a seventh-grade student was allegedly gang-raped after being dragged into a sugarcane field in the Murugod police station limits.
The incident, which occurred on November 23, came to light only after a delayed complaint was filed by the family, who said they were initially threatened into silence.
The victim, a 13-year-old, had gone to a flour mill located about 300 meters from her home. On her way back, she was allegedly accosted by Manikanth Dinnimani, the main accused and Eeranna Sankammanavar.
Both of them took her to a nearby sugarcane field, where the main accused allegedly raped her. According to Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled, Sankammanavar helped the main accused carry out the crime.
The accused had threatened the girl and her family with dire consequences, leading to a delay in reporting the crime. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
“Both the accused have been arrested, and the court remanded them to judicial custody,’’ Guled said, adding that the girl’s family would be given protection if needed.
The heinous nature of the crime, targeting a child in a familiar rural setting, has sparked outrage and raised serious concerns about the safety of women and children in the area. Local communities and child rights activists are demanding swift action against the perpetrators.