[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] India has been shocked by allegations that a 13-year-old girl was held captive and gang-raped for five days.
Some local media outlets have reported that as many as 32 men were involved.
According to local media, including Hindustan News, the 13-year-old girl in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan state, was allegedly moved from one hotel to another and raped while being held captive. So far, four hotels have been identified as crime scenes.
Police are said to have found signs that hotel operators handed the girl over to multiple men, enabling the crimes. Local claims say she was raped by more than 30 men over five days, but police are still confirming the exact scale of the abuse and the number of people involved.
There are also allegations that when the girl cried out in pain or resisted, she was forced to drink alcohol before being raped. Police are also verifying those claims.
Rajasthan police and administrative authorities launched a joint crackdown immediately after the incident and demolished four hotels that were found to have been used as crime scenes with bulldozers. Authorities are also focusing their investigation on whether the hotel owners and managers were involved or turned a blind eye.
Videos showing suspects being taken into police custody have spread rapidly on social networking service. However, some of the clips are said to be unrelated to the case, and police have urged the public to be cautious when viewing them.
Netizens expressed outrage, saying that "a 13-year-old girl suffered a horrific crime for five days," and called for severe punishment for all suspects and a swift trial. Some described it as "a horrific crime that has shaken society as a whole" and demanded an expedited trial and the harshest punishment.
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
