Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Sep 9 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Police on Thursday picked up nine suspects for questioning in gang-rape of a woman in Guntur district late Wednesday night.

The suspects are all said to be construction workers engaged for construction of a cold storage and hail from Vijayanagaram district and neighbouring Odisha.

Police were questioning the suspects about the incident which occurred near the cold storage.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Prashanti visited the scene of offence near Medikonduru bypass road. Dog squads were also pressed into service to gather clues.

The victim was sent to Guntur Government General Hospital for examination.

Some men waylaid a couple returning home to Sattenapalli on a motorbike after attending a wedding function in Guntur. They assaulted the couple and robbed them of their money and gold jewellery.

They then tied the man to a tree and dragged the woman to a nearby field, where they allegedly gang-raped her.

Meanwhile, police denied the allegation by opposition parties that Sattenapalli police station declined to register the case when the couple approached them and redirected them to Medikonduru police station.

Police also stopped women leaders of various opposition parties who came to the Guntur Hospital to meet the victim.