India: Madhya Pradesh police arrests second accused of gang-raping minor girl in Mandsaur district

July 1, 2018 On Friday, Madhya Pradesh police arrested the second person accused of gang-raping a minor girl in the. According to varying reports, the rape victim was seven or eight years old.

According to police inspector Jitendra Singh Yadav of Mandsaur Kotwali police, they arrested 24-year-old construction worker Asif on Friday. Another accused, 20-year-old Irfan, was arrested on Wednesday, one day after both of them allegedly kidnapped the girl after school, raped her, and slit her throat. According to the police statement, one of the accused was seen with the girl in CCTV footage. Police inspector Yadav said, "We questioned Irfan and he confessed about Asif's involvement".

Madhya Pradesh's Chief Minister said, "The accused has already been arrested and there is evidence against him. We will ensure though fast-track courts that he will get capital punishment at the earliest". Calling those rapists "a burden on the society", Chouhan said, "We want that people who did such heinous crime should be hanged to death. Human rights are for humans, not for the devils."

Last year, Madhya Pradesh assembly passed a bill approving capital punishment for those convicted for raping girls below the age of twelve. Indian Ministers of the also approved an ordinance in April approving fast-track courts for rapes of minors and death penalty for those convicted for raping girls under the age of twelve.

The girl was taken to a hospital in and after performing two operations, the doctors said on Friday that she was stable.

Asif and Irfan are booked under the for kidnapping and raping the minor.