A minor Dalit girl in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram rural district was allegedly raped and abused by around 10 men for over two months.
The incident came to light after the police arrested seven youths on Monday, who also allegedly filmed the rape to blackmail the girl.
According to a report in The New Indian Express:
The arrested have been identified as Anoop Shah (24), Shamnad (21), Saheed (21), Shamnaz (19), Salman (19), Soorath (32), and Ameen (23), all belonging to Kallambalam. It was Anoop Shah who took the victim from her home, the police said.
The prime accused, identified as Ameer, and who is still at large, and Anoop allegedly knew the girl and took her away in an auto.
The Indian Express adds that one of the assailants developed an acquaintance with the victim through her brother and lured her out of the house on a false pretext.
The report adds:
When the girl left the house, two assailants lured her to a deserted area and brutally raped her. They filmed the assault in the mobile phone. They threatened the girl that the visuals of the sexual abuse would be released on social media if she informed anyone about the rape.
The same video was used by multiple men to blackmail and rape her and the main accused allegedly took money from them.
Reports also suggest that she was physically assaulted if she denied to go with the people. There were also multiple burn marks on her body
On March 31, the girl was physically attacked in public for refusing to go with them and a few locals informed the police.