Haryana: 3 held in Yamunanagar rape case

The Yamunanagar police has arrested three people for allegedly raping a 13-year-old minor on Sunday.

Yamunanagar Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Kalia told ANI, "Three people have been arrested for raping a teenager in Yamunanagar. Two others accused are still absconding."

He added that during the investigation, a fifth accused was also involved in the incident, who was reportedly keeping a watch from a temple, where the minor was allegedly raped by a group of four men.

On Sunday, the minor was sleeping in her house with her siblings when the men barged into her house and kidnapped her. Her parents were away at that time.

They then took the girl to an area near a temple and allegedly raped her. The men then smashed the girl's head on the temple wall, before fleeing, leaving her unconscious.

On learning about the incident, the girl's parents filed an FIR under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

In the wake of rising number of incidents involving sexual assaults against minors, the Union Cabinet on Saturday approved the amendment in POCSO Act, putting a stamp on awarding death penalty to the rapists of children below 12 years of age.

The ordinance seeks the death penalty for the rapists of girls below 12 years of age and stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 16 years.

Furthermore, President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday promulgated the ordinance to strengthen the POCSO Act.