Ratlam, September 7: A 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed by three men in a village in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh, police said on Monday. All the three accused, aged between 21 years and 23 years, have been arrested for their alleged role in the crime which occurred on Saturday night, said Superintendent of Police Gaurav Tiwari. Also Read | Unlock 4: Punjab Announces More Relaxations, Non-Essential Shops to Now Remain Open On Saturdays As Well.

The girl was last seen by her family members when she stepped out of her home to buy grocery items at around 7 pm on Saturday in Gurjarpada village, about 20 kms away from the district headquarters, he said.

"When she did not return for a long time, her family members approached the police," the SP said. Also Read | SBI VRS Scheme 2020: From Eligibility to Salary And Other Benefits, Here’s Everything You Need to Know About ‘Second Innings Tap VRS-2020’.

He said police personnel found the grocery items purchased by the girl in a dilapidated structure. "Meanwhile, police also received information about the girl's body lying in an agriculture field near the main road. Prima facie, she was killed after rape," Tiwari said.

During investigation, police came to know that Kalu Singh Ninama, Deepak Singh and Ravi Singh Ninama were seen on the road where the girl's body was found, he said. They were arrested on Monday on a tip-off, he added.

"The accused confessed that they raped the girl and later drowned her in a pond," the police officer said. They were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for abduction, rape and murder, and under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)