ROURKELA: Three miscreants allegedly kidnapped a 15-year-old girl from a village road in a vehicle and gang-raped her at a forest in Talsara area, located about 130 km from Rourkela.
The incident took place on the intervening night of April 21 and April 22.
Police said the three culprits were taken into custody immediately after a verbal complaint, and they confessed to the crime.
Sundargarh SP Pratyush Diwaker said that as per preliminary investigation, three minor girls, including the victim, were walking back to their homes after attending a function late on April 21.
"The girls were scared on noticing a four-wheeler following them and hid themselves. The girls saw two youngsters familiar to them arriving on a motorcycle, and they asked for help. All five tried to ride the single motorbike and escape. But the miscreants in the four-wheeler intercepted them," he said.
Diwaker said that while the two youngsters and two girls managed to escape, the victim was caught and forcibly taken in the four-wheeler.
Subsequently, she was sexually assaulted at a nearby forest and was dropped at a secluded location.
The SP said the police would soon record the statement of the victim and further investigation would proceed based on it.
Police said that while two of the culprits are found adult, the third culprit claimed to be a juvenile (17). The verification of his actual age is underway.
While the medical examination of the victim has been completed, the examination of the accused is pending.
Sundargarh SDPO Nirmal Mohapatra said as per preliminary information, the culprits have past criminal antecedents. Further investigation is underway.