<p>Representative image<br></p>

Moradabad: The rape of a minor girl by five men at a village here was filmed and sent to the father and relatives of the survivor after the girl refused to be blackmailed by the men. Police have filed a case and arrested one of the accused, while a hunt is on for the remaining four, after the video was circulated and resulted in a massive public outcry.

The crime was allegedly committed on the night of May 26 when the residents of Kalerkhedi village under Dilari police station, including the father of the 17-year-old girl, had gone to watch an IPL match at a neighbour’s house. The five men abducted the girl, who was alone at her house, at gunpoint, took her to an abandoned house nearby and gang raped her, filming the crime.

“Residents of the village, including the girl’s father, were away watching a cricket match when the crime was committed. The accused filmed the act in order to blackmail and exploit the girl afterwards,” said Dilari SHO Sanjay Tomar, talking to TOI.

“The girl returned home and told her family about the assault. In revenge, the five men uploaded the video online on social media and also sent it to villagers,” Tomar added.

On Sunday, after coming to know of the assault and the video, villagers protested outside Dilari police station demanding immediate arrest of the perpetrators. Police have registered an FIR against the five men, identified as Ishaaq, Matloob, Waseem, Shahid and Talib. They were booked under sections 323 (criminal intimidation), 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty) 376 D (gang rape) of IPC, 7/8 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and section 67 of the Information Technology Act.

According to police officials, the traumatised victim has been sent to hospital for treatment and counselling.

Superintendent of police, (rural) Moradabad, Sujata Singh, told TOI that the victim and village residents approached the police station after the video was circulated on social media. To escape arrest and repercussions, all the accused and their families have fled from the village.

“We are discussing with senior officials about imposing National Security Act (NSA) against the accused, because the video could have serious implications for law and order across the region,” Singh added.

