A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by five persons in Adilabad district of Telangana, following which all the five accused, besides 16 villagers, who held a panchayat to 'settle' the matter were also arrested on Saturday, police said.

The victim, a Class X student, had on May 5 lodged a complaint with Madamarri police station, alleging that five persons, who are her neighbours, threatened her and raped her separately since January, 2015, police inspector P Sadaiah said.

The minor girl said that she got impregnated, and the medical examination has revealed that she is 25 weeks pregnant, he said.

The accused, identified as Mahendar, his father Laxmaiah, Santosh, Vijay Kumar and Prashant, were arrested, the inspector said.

Sixteen out of 20 villagers, who had held a village panchayat seeking to 'settle the matter' concerning the alleged rape were also incarcerated, the official said.

The arrested persons were produced before a court and efforts are on to nab the four other villagers who are absconding, he said.

The girl in her complaint said she approached the villagers of Pallemguda of Kasipet mandal of Adilabad district, who held a panchayat over the issue, even as one of the accused came forward to marry her, he said.

Also, she was offered Rs 2.5 lakh (Rs 50,000 each) by the five accused 'to settle the matter', though she and her family members lodged a police complaint.