Guwahati, April 28 (IANS) Nine persons were arrested by the police in connection with the rape of minor girls in the South West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, officials said on Sunday.

Earlier on Sunday, Priyank Kanoongo, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairperson, said that illegal Rohingya infiltrators were behind this incident.

He has also shared a video on his social media platform X, in which he reached the crime spot with the police team.

Kanungo wrote on X, "I have come here with the NCPCR team to investigate the complaint in connection with the gang rape of minor girls in the attack during a tribal festival in South West Garo Hills's Ampati district of Meghalaya. It is surprising that there has been no discussion at the national level on such a brutal crime against tribal children. According to the complaint, the culprits are suspected to be illegal Rohingya intruders. Investigation is underway.''

According to the police, the incidents of rape took place on April 16 night at Chenga Benga Mela village in Ampati, the headquarters of South West Garo hills district.

Superintendent of Police (SP), West Garo Hills district, Vikash Kumar, told IANS, "The incident happened on April 16 night and the police complaint was lodged on April 18. Although the state had conducted Lok Sabha polls on April 19, the police launched a probe immediately and the accused were taken into custody."

"Nine accused persons were arrested from South Salmara-Mankachar district with the active assistance of the Assam Police. They were taken into custody after more than a week of investigation," he added.

The police said that one minor girl was raped and another one was gang raped on April 16.

SP Kumar asserted all nine accused persons are residents of the Teporpara village in Assam's South Salmara-Mankachar district.

The village is located between the border of Assam and Meghalaya.

According to the Meghalaya Police, seven mobile phones have been seized from the possession of the arrested persons, and the data were analysed meticulously.

"During the course of investigation, it was learnt that the criminals had snatched a mobile phone from one person and also threatened and extorted money from another person," the police added in a statement.

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