PATHANAMTHITTA: Five youngsters were arrested for alleged sexual assault and gang rape of a minor girl since December last at Adoor near here, police said on Sunday.
Police have registered multiple cases in the matter as the 17-year-old girl was raped by her friend and her acquaintances multiple times and more recently by her boyfriend in June.
Her boyfriend Sumesh (19), her friend Shakthi (18), and his friends Anoop (22), Abhijith (20) and Aravind (28) were arrested, police said. The matter came to light during a counselling session by the District Child Welfare Committee which in turn informed the police.
"We immediately recorded her statement, medically examined her and registered the cases," police told PTI. Police have registered four cases including gang rape in the matter.
According to the police, the first instance of rape happened in December last year when Shakthi, who befriended the girl, allegedly raped her. Later, Anoop, who became close to the girl also sexually assaulted her. Police said Shakthi on a later day took Anoop, Abhijith and Aravind to her home and all except Aravind allegedly gang-raped her there.
The case was registered in the first week of July.
Sumesh was arrested two days ago and was remanded to judicial custody. Police nabbed the rest of the accused on Saturday night and Sunday morning.