Edgurallapalli, 22 June

Thirteen people have been arrested in connection with the alleged gangrape of 15 year-old dalit girl in Sri Satya district for two years, said police.

The horrific crime, which resulted in the girl becoming pregnant, came to light on 9 June  after she filed a complaint recently.

A case has been registered under several sections including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, prevention of SC/ST Atrocities Act and BNS.

According to police, Achampalli Vardhan, 21, Talari Murali, 25, Badagorla Nandavardhan Raj, 23, Arencheru Nagaraju, 51, Boya Sanjeev, 40 and Budida Rajanna, 49 were arrested on 9 June.

Seven others were arrested on 10 June , while the main accused is still at large.

"In this heinous case, the accused were identified, traced, and arrested with coordination by special teams under Dharmavaram subdivision," said Sri Satya Sai district Superintendent of Police (SP) V Ratna at a press conference recently.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the girl was allegedly blackmailed using some of her inappropriate images and videos by the perpetrators.

The girl is eight months pregnant and currently receiving treatment at a government general hospital in Ananthapur district. Doctors and district officials have decided against an abortion due to the advanced stage of her pregnancy.

The police are coordinating with the Child Welfare Committee to relocate the girl to a safer location after the delivery.

A permit has been sought for a DNA test on the unborn child as it will be crucial for the legalproceedings.

Some of the arrested individuals have criminal records, the police said.

"Despite being pregnant for eight months, no local alerted the officials. We believe caste stigma and fear led to the community's silence over the repeated abuse," a police official told PTI.

It is suspected that some villagers pressured the girl into marrying one of the accused to close the case, police said, adding that the probe is underway.

The girl said she was a government school student and the police is verifying this and investigating any possible lapses by school, health, or child protection officials.

Special teams have been formed to nab those absconding.

The victim's mother is a labourer and her husband passed away. Police believe their vulnerable situation may have made them more susceptible to community pressure and silence.

The accused were remanded to judicial custody while the minor has been placed under the Juvenile Justice Board.

Meanwhile, the district administration has assured the girl's safety, promised to meet her medical needs and complete legal procedures and extend psychological support during recovery.