Minor Gang-Raped By 8 Men Who Filmed Abuse, Released Video: Report

A 17-year-old girl in Rajasthan, India, was repeatedly gang-raped by eight men, who filmed the abuse and later released the footage online when she couldn't pay the amount they demanded, according to reports.

The teen's father filed a complaint with police Thursday after a video of his daughter's gang-rape, which had been in circulation for some time, reached him, the Hindustan Times reported.

Police said the girl initially did not tell anyone about the sexual assault or the blackmail. After her father's discovery of the footage, the girl detailed the sequence of events to her family.

In his complaint, the father alleged that his daughter was raped by eight young men from Rajasthan's Bhiwadi town, not far from where he lived, in December 2021. The father said the group filmed the abuse and blackmailed her.

In January this year, the girl was allegedly gang-raped again by the accused and then forced to pay ₹50,000 ($612) so that they would not release the footage, authorities said.

The men allegedly later asked for more money, this time 2.5 lakh ($3,317), according to police.

When the girl was unable to pay the amount, the men allegedly released the video online.

The girl has undergone a medical examination, police said.

No other details were disclosed in the report. It is unclear if the suspects have been identified and if arrests have been made.

Rajasthan had the highest number of rape cases in India in 2021 with 6,337, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. It was followed by Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Between 2015 and 2019, a total of 20,937 rape cases were registered in Rajasthan, Tribune India reported, citing Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra. This was the second-highest number among the states of India, with only Madhya Pradesh recording more cases.

This comes not long after six people, including a woman, were arrested in the abduction and gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl in India.

The parents of the minor, who is from Ramganj Mandi city in Rajasthan, reported the teen missing on Sept. 14. She was rescued by police from Shivaji Park under Udyog Nagar police station limits on Sept. 18, The Times of India reported.

The girl later told authorities that she had boarded a train from Ramganj Mandi to Kota on Sept. 14 as advised by one of her seniors in school.

In Kota, a young man, who is a friend of her senior, allegedly took her with him and held her hostage at several places, where she said she was raped by multiple people. They finally dropped her near Shivaji Park four days later.

The girl said she did not know any of the accused.

The individuals arrested ranged in age from 18 to 27.

Ramganj Mandi police station's Assistant Sub-Inspector Ronak Ali, who was part of the investigation of the 14-year-old girl's case, was accused of negligence and misbehavior in the case.

He has since been suspended, and an investigation into the allegations against him is underway.