Chennai, Nov 16 (IANS): Three people have been arrested on the charges of drugging and gang-raping a minor girl in Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu.

Ranganathan from Tiruchi, who is a relative of the minor girl, kidnapped her in April 2021 and took her to a secluded place, police said.

The minor girl was then drugged and gang-raped by Ranganathan and his four accoplices.

The accused kept the minor in captivity and repeatedly gang-raped her threatening to make the video of the heinous act viral.

In between, the parents of the 16-year-old girl married her off but when child rights activists came to know about it, they alerted police. The child was rescued and lodged in a child protection centre.

In between, Ranganathan and his friends fell out with each other following some issues and the video of the girl was circulated on social media.

The parents of the girl came to know about the video and lodged a complaint with the All Women Police station, Musri, Tiruchi.

Police arrested Ranganathan, Manikandan, and Ganesh while two other accused are absconding.

Sources in the Musri police told IANS that they are further inquiring the people who have shared this video on social media sites and are tracing those behind the abuse of the girl.

Police did not reveal the name of the two people who are wanted in the case and said that they are investigating whether other people had abused the girl.