An eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped by six boys, a 19-year-old and five minors aged about 10, living in her neighbourhood, police officials said in Pune today.


All six have been held following a complaint from the girl's mother yesterday. She alleged that the six, all living in her neighbourhood in Kondhwa area, sexually assaulted her daughter, an official said.


The police arrested the 19-year-old and sent the five boys, in the age group of 10 to 11, to an observation home, he said. The incident came to light yesterday when the woman took her daughter to a doctor after she complained of abdominal pain.


The doctor found some marks on the girl's body during a medical examination and suspected it to be a case of sexual abuse, the official said.


When the doctor asked the girl about the marks, she revealed that she had been sexually assaulted by the six on four to five occasions in the last couple of weeks, he said. The girl's mother then immediately approached the police.


The six have been booked under IPC Section 376 (rape) and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he added. -- PTI