Mangaluru police have apprehended seven individuals in connection with the alleged gang rape of a junior college student near Kinnikambla in Gurupura Kaikamba on Tuesday. The accused are also alleged to have filmed the incident and shared the footage.
The victim reportedly connected with one of the accused, Karthik, on Instagram approximately two months prior to the incident, initiating an online relationship.
On June 29, Karthik is said to have persuaded the minor girl to ride on his scooter, using the pretense of lunch at a hotel in Valachil. He subsequently transported her to the woods near Adyar Falls, where the assault occurred. Authorities report that he sexually assaulted her, and one of his friends also raped the victim. The main accused reportedly recorded the incident and distributed the video to his associates.
The individuals arrested have been identified as Karthik, Rakesh Saldana, Jeevan, Sandeep, Rakshith, Shravan, and Suresh. Police indicated that the other five were arrested for abetment related to the circulation of the video.
A case has been filed under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody.