Seven arrested for rape of minors

Jalpaiguri: Seven persons, including four minors, were arrested on charges of gang rape of a 14-year-old girl in Jalpaiguri district. The minors were produced before the Jalpaiguri Juvenile Court on Tuesday while the other three were produced before the Malbazar Sub-District Political Court.

The incident took place on July 10 when the victim was visiting some places with the culprits, some of whom she knew. The matter came to light after a video of the incident went viral on social media on Monday, prompting the victim’s family to lodge a complaint at the local police station. Police then conducted raids in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts and arrested all seven suspects.

Jalpaiguri District Police Commissioner Khandbahale Umesh Ganapat confirmed the arrests. The accused are accused of raping a minor and have been produced before the court. Apurb Ghosh, public prosecutor of the POCSO court in Malbazar, said that two suspects were remanded in police custody for five days and one was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.