Bhopal, Jan 16 (IANS): A 12-year-old minor girl belonging to a tribal community was allegedly gang-raped by three persons in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district, the police said on Monday.

The incident took place on Sunday. The police came to know about it after the victim lodged a complaint at a police station on Monday. According to the police, one of the accused was known as the victim for the last two months.

On Sunday, while the victim, who lives at a village in Jabalpur district, was on her way to meet her maternal aunt in Jabalpur city, met one of the accused Pancham Thakur.

Pancham offered her a ride on the bike, assuring that he would drop her to her aunt's residence. However, he took her to a forest area, where he was joined by his two friends -- Brijesh Thakur and Bali Thakur.

Before the victim could sense anything, they overpowered her, and allegedly took turns to rape her.

After committing the crime, the accused also threatened the victim of dire consequences if she tells anyone about the incident. Later, the girl was dropped at her aunt's home in Jabalpur.

On Monday morning, when she returned to her home in the village and narrated the entire incident to her parents, a police complaint was lodged, the police said.

The police also claimed to have arrested all three accused involved in the case.

"Acting on the complaint, the police registered a case against all the three accused under section 376 (Rape) of the IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The police arrested all the accused and further proceedings into the matter are underway," Superintendent of Police Priyanka Shukla told the press.