Teenaged Adivasi girl dies after being raped

A 17-year-old Adivasi girl who was allegedly raped by two men at a village in Tamil Nadu last week, died in a hospital, triggering protests by her family, alleging that there was a delay in accepting their complaint and nabbing the accused.

The girl died on Saturday of her injuries, following which her family staged the protests.

They continued it Sunday, but gave it up on an assurance from District collector S Malarvizhi that the culprits would be arrested within two days.

"We are looking into the allegations of negligence by police in accepting complaint from the girl's family. Strict action will be taken if it turns out to be true," she told reporters.

"The protest has been called off after we assured them that the accused will be arrested within 48 hours," she said.

The incident occurred on November 5 when the plus two student of a government school was allegedly raped by the duo (both in early twenties) near her hamlet in Sittilingi in Dharmapuri district.

She was later admitted to a government hospital, where she died Saturday, police said.

Police said they have filed a case against the duo under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

Meanwhile, DMK President M K Stalin expressed his condolences to the family over the death of the girl and demanded that the duo be immediately arrested.

"I am deeply grieved to learn of the death of the 17-year-old girl. It is hurting to see humanity turning perverted. The accused must be arrested immediately," he said.