Mangaluru, 2 Sept 

Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged rape of a junior college student near Kinnikambla in Gurupura Kaikamba here, police said on Tuesday.

According to police, the victim became acquainted with one of the accused through Instagram about two months ago. Their online interaction developed into a relationship.

On 29 June, Karthik allegedly lured the minor girl, took her on his scooter to a hotel in Valachil for lunch, and later to a forested area near Adyar Falls.

Police said he sexually assaulted her there. His associate also raped the victim. The main accused recorded the incident and circulated it among his friends.

The accused have been identified as Karthik, Rakesh Saldana, Jeevan, Sandeep, Rakshith, Shravan, and Suresh. Police said the other five were arrested for abetting and circulating the video.

A case has been registered under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody, police added.