Accused M Raju, Syed Mathin and Ranjith R, (all aged between 23 and 27) allegedly raped the teenaged girl, who works in agriculture fields, while she was with a male acquaintance in his auto-rickshaw on way towards Chinna Rajura village on the outskirts of Asifabad town in Adilabad around three months back, they said.
"Raju and his two friends beat up the girl and one Mallesh (auto-driver), and drove him away from the place. The trio took the girl forcibly into the nearby bushes and allegedly raped her taking turns," Asifabad Police Station Sub-Inspector Sateesh Kumar told PTI, based on the complaint lodged by the victim yesterday.
The victim, who did not inform about the offence earlier to anyone out of fear of the accused, finally told her parents and community elders about it and filed a complaint in this regard yesterday, the police officer said.
Following the complaint, a case under section 376 (D) of IPC and relevant sections of POCSO Act was registered.
The girl has been sent for medical examination. The three accused have been taken into custody and are being questioned, police said, adding that a probe is on.
