A 15-year-old girl, who was reported missing by her grandfather, is said to have been gang-raped and murdered in India, according to police.
The tenth-grade student was reportedly kidnapped by three individuals last Saturday.
She was then found dumped in a 50ft-deep well in the Ramgarh Shekhawati region of Sikar city, in north west India.
According to a report by Metro UK, her body was discovered less than 24 hours after she was reportedly taken.
Sikar police have arrested two adults and a teenager, 15, who is believed to be the main suspect.
Officers have confirmed that the 15-year-old has been apprehended and his two alleged accomplices, Sameer and Ghulam, both 19, have also been detained and are being interrogated by police.
An image showed the heart-breaking moment officials found the girl as they pulled her body up from the well with a rope.
The girl’s grandfather had rushed to the Ramgarh Sethan police station on Sunday to report his granddaughter as missing.
Officers started a search operation to find her, and discovered her body on Sunday afternoon.
As per the wishes of the family, the final rites were conducted in Jasrasar village, in Sardarseher.
The girl came from the Churu district of India but had been staying with her grandparents while she studied in Lavanda.
An official told local media, “Due to concerns of rape and murder, relevant sections of the law were added to the case, and further investigation was initiated after the body of the deceased minor was identified.”
Police said that CCTV footage had confirmed the identity of the suspects.
A police spokesperson said, “The CCTV footage installed along the route to the victim’s house has been reviewed and the suspects are seen approaching and leaving the victim’s residence.
“The identification has been confirmed through the CCTV footage of the suspects involved. One of the suspects also has an injury in his hand.”
Members of the girl’s family have organised a massive protest on Sunday as they call for swift action, harsh punishment and compensation.
The protesters are also calling for the victim’s family to be compensated.
Recent violence against women and girls in India has led to nation-wide protests.
This month a 14-year-old girl was gang raped before being burned alive in a furnace.
Recall that earlier in the year, two women were allegedly paraded naked through Manipur and then sexually assaulted by a mob.
(Vanguard)