More than 40 girls are alleged to have been raped at a government-run shelter in northern India.

Some of the victims at the home in the city of Muzaffarpur are minors, with one of the girls said to have been beaten to death and buried inside.

Police have started the process of digging at the complex to find the body.

One of the survivors of the abuse told a magistrate that the missing girl was killed after a disagreement with staff at the shelter and was later buried there.

Image: The case has again highlighted the treatment of women in India, with several protests having taken place already this year

Speaking to reporters, senior police superintendent Harpreet Kaur said: "At the moment nothing has been found so far at the shelter home premises, where digging is under way.


"We are conducting a thorough investigation. Police are working independently."

Medical examinations have confirmed that 29 of the girls, including minors, were sexually assaulted.

Examinations on the rest of the girls is still being carried out.

The matter came to light when social workers from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences submitted a detailed report of sexual assault on the girls at the home to the authorities almost two months ago.

The organisation was doing a social audit of shelter homes of the state of Bihar, where the home is based.

Image: A woman calls out for stronger rape laws in India at a rally earlier in 2018

Following the report, the court directed police to investigate and lodge complaints against those running the shelter.

Police have arrested 11 people, including staff, and will file a charge sheet in court against the accused within the next few days. They have not ruled out arresting more suspects.

The issue is being highlighted by Tejeswani Yadav, leader of the opposition, who has accused the government and authorities of a cover-up.

He told reporters that politicians and officials were involved in the rape of minors and some of the girls were forced to undergo abortions.

Image: Women take part in a protest in Delhi

The scandal has emerged at a time when India is grappling with the menace of rape.

Following the rape and murder of a medical student in Delhi in December 2012, laws were made more stringent and fast-track courts were established to try cases of atrocities against women.

But according to statistics from the National Crimes Bureau of India, crimes against women are increasing every year, including cases of rape.

The bureau registered 38,947 cases of rape in 2016, an increase of 12.4% from the previous year, with a woman raped every 14 minutes in the country.

Figures for 2017 are still to be published, but 2018 has already seen several high-profile cases in the country, including the rape and murder of teenage girls.