Ahmedabad: A 15-year-old girl was kidnapped, confined in a farm pit for three weeks in November and was raped by a teenager before she was freed earlier this month. The incident took place at Kotda Nayani village of Morbi district in Gujarat.

“A case of rape, kidnapping and illegal confinement was registered against 19-year-old Naresh Solanki, while seven others belonging to his family were booked under charges of kidnapping and illegal confinement,” said a police official of Wankaner taluka police station.

Police said that the accuser’s family wanted the girl to get married to Naresh as they both belonged to same caste of 'Devipujaks'. However, after the girl refused they planned to kidnap the girl and then confined her.

The victim was kidnapped on November 11 and taken to a farmland some two kilometres from the village. There she was forced to live in a 8x8 feet pit covered on top with wooden plank so as to avoid her detection.

The victim was taken out to be raped repeatedly for three weeks before she was freed on December 4.

Police said that the accuser’s family wanted the girl to get married to Naresh as they both belonged to same caste of ‘Devipujaks’. However, after the girl refused they planned to kidnap the girl and then confined her

As per the girl's statement, she was confined in the pit and was taken out only to be raped by accused Naresh.

Police have held Naresh, his brother Haresh, father Janantbhai Solanki and his grandfather Chaturbhai Solanki, who are currently lodged in Rajkot central jail.

Other than sections 363 (kidnapping) and 366 (abduction of woman to compel her into marriage) of the IPC registered against unknown accused in the November 25 FIR, police have also added sections 376 (rape) against Naresh along with relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.