Mumbai: 16-year-old girl gang-raped; six including friend held

A 16-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by six persons, three of them minors, in Lower Parel area of central Mumbai, police said on Saturday.

The police have arrested three of the accused and detained the minors involved in the assault that took place in a chawl on Friday night, an official said.

One of the accused was the victim’s friend and the duo had gone to the chawl to celebrate another friend's birthday, he said. The other five accused were also there for the celebration. Later in the night, residents of the chawl heard the girl's cries and alerted the local police station, the official said. On reaching the scene, personnel from N M Joshi Marg police station found the minor girl and the accused, he said.

Based on a complaint lodged by the girl, an offence under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against the accused, the official said. Three of the accused, who are minors, were detained and sent to the children's home in Dongri, he said, adding that further probe is underway.