Minor girl gangraped by five men in Belagavi district; 4 accused arrested

Mangalore Today News Network / Yahoo

Belagavi, August 28, 2021: A minor girl was allegedly gangraped by five men in Karnataka’s Belagavi district. The accused sexually assaulted the 16-year-old girl in July in the Ghataprabha area of the district. However, the incident came to light on Thursday. The accused also belong to Ghataprabha. Four accused were arrested by the police on August 27 in connection with the case, while the fifth person is still absconding.

 

The accused were reported to be neighbours of the victim. According to a report published in The Times of India, the incident took place when the girl was home from a tailoring shop in the evening. The accused first tease her and then allegedly took her to nearby sugarcane fields and took turns to rape her. They even threatened the minor with dire consequences if she tells about the incident to anybody.

The family members of the girl noticed that she was under depression and was not eating properly. The rape survivor then broke down in front of her family and narrated the entire incident. The complaint was registered almost a month after as the family of the girl got scared of the consequences. However, the family brought the incident to the notice of a local women’s rehabilitation centre, and the complaint was registered on August 26.

The accused have been identified as - Siddappa Ramappa Jokanakatti, Ramappa Vithal Tasali, Ramesh Maruti Kodli, Parasappa Rayappa Jattennanavar and Iddappa Ramappa Jokanakatti. The case was filed under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Prevention of Atrocities (Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribes) Act. The arrested accused were sent to Hindalga jail. Meanwhile, the police have launched a manhunt operation to nab Tasali.