A 17-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly blackmailed and gang-raped by five youths for the last four months in a village here, police said today.
Though the incident had occurred around six months back under Gajapathinagaram police station limits, the crime came to light only today after the girl's mother lodged a complaint in this connection today, police said.
According to police, the girl who is a second year intermediate student, was allegedly videographed by her neighbour K Sivaji (20) with a mobile phone camera while taking bath four months ago.
Threatening her that he would upload her photos on the internet, Siva took the girl to his friends' room. Two of Siva's friends Prasana Kumar and Srikanth were already waiting there and the trio allegedly raped her.
The girl was allegedly gang-raped repeatedly by them and in subsequent months two more of Siva's friends -- Bhanu Prasad and Jitendra -- gang-raped her several times and the also recorded the crime with a phone camera.
Unable to bear harassment, she ran away from her house around three days back, but returned home today evening and informed her mother as well as grandmother.
After the complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the five youths, who were taken into custody and were being interrogated, DSP, Bobbili Sub-Division, said.
The accused were taken into custody and the victim was sent for medical examination, Gajapathinagaram Circle Inspector Chandrasekhar said, adding that they are investigating the case.
