Belagavi, 3 Dec

A class seven girl was allegedly raped by two men while she was returning home from a flour mill in this district, police said on Wednesday.

Accused duo - Manikanth Dinnimani and Iranna Sankammanavar were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the incident that occurred last month, they said.

According to police, on 21 November, the accused allegedly dragged the girl into a sugarcane field while she was returning home from a flour mill located near her house, and raped her.

The victim lodged a complaint on Monday evening, following which a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act case was registered at the Murgod police station here.

In her complaint, the girl has alleged that Dinnimani raped her while Sankammanavar assisted him.

According to Belagavi Superintendent of Police, Bhimashankar Guled, both the accused were taken into custody for questioning. The girl has given her statement in the presence of a female officer.

“We have arrested the two accused and initiated legal procedures. We need to investigate why the complaint was filed late. Usually, in such incidents, children may be in shock and may not open up immediately, or some parents may hesitate to come forward due to concerns about their dignity. These are the patterns we have observed," he said.