A 15-year-old girl in Chattisgarh was allegedly gang-raped twice by five people seven months ago, police said on Friday.
At least three people have been arrested and a search is on for the remaining, they added.
While some police officials claimed that one of the arrested persons is a local Congress leader, the party has denied having any links with him.
The minor, a resident of Manendragarh district, was reportedly raped at a hotel in Chirmiri town and later again sexually assaulted at a house in Bilaspur district, police said.
Two cases under the Indian Penal Code and POCSO Act were registered on Thursday on the basis of the survivor’s complaint, they added.
It wasn’t immediately clear why the girl approached the police after seven months.
“The girl was working as a domestic help in Chirmiri. She said that around seven months ago, she was drugged by a woman, Priti Pandey, and subsequently raped by two people – Nikka and Raja,” Manendragrah additional superintendent of police (ASP) Nimesh Bariaya said.
“A few days later, the minor was again lured by the same woman and they went to Bilaspur where she was raped by three people, including one Shahnawaz Ali,” he added.
Police officials familiar with the matter claimed Ali is a Congress leader in Nagpur town, under Manendragarh district.
Akash Sharma, state president of Youth Congress, dismissed the claim. “Ali is not associated with the Congress,” he said.
