Ranchi, Oct 19 (IANS): Nine persons accused of raping two minor sisters have been arrested in Bishnupur block of Gumla district by the police, while one accused committed suicide by hanging.

The gang rape took place when the two sisters were returning after visiting the Dussehra fair with their brother on Friday evening (October 15). Ten youths intercepted them and passed lewd comments. The accused then beat up the brother, took both the girls to a nearby forest and took turns to rape them.

A case of gang rape was registered on Saturday after which police raided a house where one of the accused hanged himself fearing arrest. On Tuesday, seven accused were arrested by the police when they reached the house of a lawyer in Gumla.

Gumla police said that the seven accused were preparing to surrender in the court, but the police arrested them as soon as the lawyer left the house. Two accused had already been arrested by the police.

In another incident, an FIR was lodged on Sunday by a deaf-mute woman alleging gang rape by two home guards posted at Mehrma block office in Godda district of Jharkhand. She told the police through sign language that she had gone to the block office to graze her goat, when the two home guards raped her. Police have arrested both the accused.