A teenager in Hyderabad was allegedly gang-raped by a group of five minors inside a Mercedes car last Saturday, with the son of an MLA believed to be among the accused.

According to NDTV and India Today, which quoted unnamed police officials, the accused are Class 11 and 12 students from “politically influential families,” but at the moment, it is unclear whether the MLA’s son was directly involved in the gang-rape.

As per available information from the police, the victim, a 17-year-old girl, had gone to an upscale pub with a friend, who left early. She subsequently befriended a boy at the pub and later joined up with his friends in their car.

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The group then went to a pastry shop before heading to the upscale neighbourhood of Jubilee Hills where the alleged gang-rape took place. Police officials told NDTV that the accused took turns in raping the 17-year-old, while the rest of them stood guard outside the car.

When the girl returned home, her father noticed injuries to her neck, but the girl downplayed the injuries as the result of an altercation at the pub.

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However, the victim’s father filed a complaint with the police, who, on June 1, registered a case of “outraging modesty” based on the father’s narration of events.

“Her father approached us. According to whatever he told us we filed a case of outraging modesty and under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences). He was not sure what happened, the girl was not in a position to reveal anything,” NDTV quoted police officer Joel Davis as saying.

However, after the girl was sent to women officers, she revealed the true extent of the incident.

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“She could not reveal identity of the accused. She only had one name. Based on footage and technical evidence, we are looking for the suspects,” NDTV quoted officer Davis as saying.

The publication, citing officials, further reported that the MLA’s son, whose identity is unknown as of now, got off the car and ran away before the assault on the girl took place.

While there is scant information on the incident at the moment, an investigation is currently underway to ascertain the details of what went down that night.