Betul (MP):

An 18-year-old woman was allegedly raped by seven people, including three minors, when she was returning to her village in Madhya Pradesh with her brother, police said on Thursday.

The accused threw the teen’s brother in a well before raping her on the intervening night of April 29-30, they said.

The police have taken five accused, including the three minors, into custody while two are on the run, an official said.

Kotwali Police Station in-charge Rajendra Dhurve informed the woman was returning on a motorbike with her 21-year-old brother on Wednesday night to their village.

The seven accused intercepted the motorbike and threw the woman’s brother in a well at around 8.30 pm, he said.

The accused took turns to rape the woman till 2 am on Thursday, he said.

After being freed by the accused, the woman rescued her brother from the well and reached the village in the morning, police said. They later filed a police complaint, he said.

Two of the accused, identified as Shubham Bele, 22, and Sandeep Khatiya, 23, and three minors were taken into custody, he said.

The other two accused, identified as Lokesh Soni, 22 and Pawan Bele, 24, are missing, the police officer said.

Police said the accused have been charged under IPC sections 376 (rape), 365 (kidnapping) and 307 (attempt to murder).