NEW DELHI – Twelve persons gang-raped a 16-year-old tribal girl in avillage in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Friday.

Six persons have been arrested and are being interrogated to identify andlocate the other accused, police said, Hindustan Times has reported.

The girl was cycling home in Mahulara village in Panrui area after tuitionsaround 8 pm when the accused abducted her and allegedly raped her.

When she did not reach home, her family informed the police. Close tomidnight, she was located in an unconscious state by the side of a canal.Police immediately rushed her to a hospital in Bolpur, police said, addingthat her medical examination would be conducted later.

“The victim told us that there were about 12 persons and we have recordedher statement,” a police officer of Panrui police station said.

“She is still in trauma. There is tension in the village and we arepatrolling in the area,” the officer said.

Those arrested are between 18 and 25 years of age. They were booked underIPC section 376 (rape) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences(POCSO) Act.

In 2016, West Bengal was ranked second in the country with 32,513 cases ofcrime against women, contributing 9.6% to all such crimes in the country.