8 held for raping 24-year-old woman

: A 24-year-old woman was allegedly raped by nine people, police said on Tuesday.

Eight of them were arrested on Monday night at Mahabubabad while one was at large, the police said.

Three days ago, the woman from Kothagudem district came from Hyderabad and alighted at the Mahabuababad railway station, they said.

As she didnt have sufficient money to go to Amanugal village, she phoned her acquaintance from Balaram Thanda, but he asked her to come to Balram Thanda.

Believing his words, she went to Balram Thanda by an autorickshaw. There, the acquaintance, an auto-driver and his friends, including the juveniles, took her to a nearby mango grove and raped her one after another, the police said.

Some passersby noticed this and informed the village sarpanch, and he went to the scene, but the accused escaped, they said.

Later, the victim's father lodged a complaint and the gang was arrested barring one who is on the run, they added.