A 12-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gang-raped by five schoolboys inside a principal’s office in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, police said on Wednesday. The accused, aged between 12 and 15, drugged her with a spiked soft drink, filmed the assault, and later circulated the video online.
The crime took place on May 8 but came to light only after a neighbor saw the video and informed the girl’s mother on Monday night. The mother immediately filed a police complaint, leading to the arrest of all five accused on Tuesday evening.
The girl told police that the boys—her neighbors and students at a local school—lured her to a nearby junior high school, promising to buy her something. One of them used a key stolen from his father, the school’s watchman, to enter the building.
Once inside, they locked the gate, took her to the principal’s office, and gave her a drugged drink. “When I fell unconscious, they raped me and recorded it,” the girl said in her statement. The boys then threatened to kill her parents if she spoke up.
Despite their warnings, the video was shared on social media. “My daughter had been depressed for days, but she didn’t tell me anything until I saw the video,” the mother told police.
All five accused are minors and have been sent to a juvenile facility. “We have registered the case and will file a chargesheet soon. The girl is receiving counseling,” said SSP Satpal Antil.
(The victim’s identity has been protected as per Supreme Court guidelines.)
