13-Year-Old Gang-Raped After Being Lured To Secluded Place With Sweets; Culprits In Custody

KEY POINTS

One of the accused was a 13-year-old boy who was the victim's neighbor
The girl's family was threatened with dire consequences if they reported the crime
Authorities said that both the accused in the case were arrested Sunday

A 13-year-old girl has been gang-raped, allegedly by two people, in India. According to local media, one of the accused is a minor boy.

The elder brothers of one of the accused also threatened the girl's family with dire consequences if they reported the crime, the Times of India reported. The two accused in the case were arrested Sunday after a police complaint was filed by the family. The incident took place in Agra, a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Shamshabad police station in-charge Pradeep Kumar said the gang rape took place Friday when the girl was alone at her home. Her parents had gone to attend a wedding ceremony.

The minor boy, who has been accused of the crime, lived near the victim's home. He lured the girl on the pretext of giving her sweet called "jamun," an Indian dessert. He then took her to a secluded place where 22-year-old Sanju was already present. The duo then raped the girl, according to the Google Translate of NDTV India.

When the incident came to light, Sanju's elder brother threatened to kill the girl's father if he filed a police complaint. Kumar said the girl has revealed her ordeal in her statement. The charges against both the accused are not known yet.

In India, violence against women has been increasing over the years, with many of the victims being minors. India recorded 88 rape cases every day in 2019, according to a National Crime Records Bureau report released last year.

Last month, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, a 6-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by her grandfather and uncle. The horrific crime took place in front of her toddler brother. Police said that the victim shared her ordeal with her mom after the mother noticed behavioral changes in her and questioned her. The accused men had bribed the girl with snacks and 30 cents so that she does not speak out about the attack.

Police arrested both the suspects on charges of rape and sexual offense against a minor.