Bhopal, Sep 19 (IANS): Five people have been arrested on the charge of gang-raping a 17-year-old girl in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district, police said on Monday. A search for the sixth accused is underway.

As per police, on Saturday morning, the man went to the girl's house, met the family and took the girl to a temple. After darshan, they were strolling in a jungle just behind the temple when six men accosted them. They overpowered the youth, thrashed him, and dragged the couple two to the bushes where they took turns to rape the girl.

The criminals threatened to kill them if they dared to shout for help or tell anyone about it. After an hour of torture, the rapists left, reminding the couple of their threat.

Subsequent to an FIR, the district police swung into action and claimed to have arrested five suspects, including two minors, within 24 hours of the complaint.

According to SP Rewa, three suspects were arrested from Rewa and two were apprehended from Mumbai, while the search for sixth is underway.

On Monday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sought reports from Rewa district police. During a digital meeting with district collector and SP, the chief minister instructed them to take strict action against those involved. "I am directing you not to listen to anyone and destroy all those involved in the gangrape incident. They do not deserve any leniency, even if they are minors," Chouhan said during the meeting.

A senior police officer, who is leading the investigation, told IANS that houses of five suspects have been demolished using bulldozers and the same action awaits the sixth accused.

Notably, the couple was to get married after three months, after the girl (victim) turned 18.

The incident comes a week after a three-year-old girl child was sexually assulted in the state capital Bhopal.