UP horror: 9-year-old dalit girl 'gang-raped' by 5 minors near school ground

SHAHJAHANPUR: Five minors have been booked for allegedly gang-raping a nine-year-old dalit girl in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur, police said on Saturday.Circle officer (Tilhar) Vidush Saxena told PTI that the incident occurred on Friday evening when the girl was playing with other children at a school ground. The accused minors, aged between 10 and 14 years, allegedly took her to a nearby field.Citing the FIR, Saxena said the girl’s family alleged that the accused minors gang-raped her in the field and fled after being spotted by the field owner.The girl later returned home and informed her mother about the incident, following which a complaint was filed and a case was registered late on Friday night, the officer said.Police have booked the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.The accused minors are being questioned in the presence of their guardians, while the survivor has been sent for a medical examination, police said.(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)(With agency inputs)Stay updated with the latest Bareilly news. Download the TOI App.