HYDERABAD: The seven accused in the gang-rape case of a minor girl from Meerpet on Monday have been arrested. According to Rachakonda police, three of them had assaulted the girl while the other four aided them.
The trio accused of gang rape are Abed-Bin-Khaled (35), a history-sheeter of Mangalhat, M Mahesh (20), a labourer, and Shaik Tahseen (25), a band worker, both from Nandanavanam in Meerpet.
The other four accused are M Narsing (23), a band worker from Nandanavanam, Ashraf (20), a guard from Nandanavanam, and Md Faizal (21) and Md Imran (20), both flower decorators from Malakpet who helped the other five escape.
Rachakonda commissioner DS Chauhan said the 16-year-old girl was living with her three younger brothers at a cousin's house as her parents live in another state. The main accused Abed had been stalking her and misbehaved with her a few days ago, police said.
"On Monday morning, Abed, Tahseen and Mahesh barged into the house and raped her by threatening her with a knife. Narsing and Ashraf took the victim's three brothers out of the room and stood guard. Later, all five went to Faizal and Imran in Malakpet seeking their help to flee," he said.
All the accused were arrested. The commissioner said it was suspected that some of the accused were under the influence of ganja.