Police on Monday arrested seven men from Baijanath Rural Municipality-8 in Banke district on charge of raping a 16-year-old minor on Saturday night and Sunday in different locations.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Madhusudan Neupane, also the spokesperson of District Police Office Banke said the suspects were arrested during a regular screening by police personnel.

“During regular screening on the roads, we saw three people including the minor on a bike. The minor was in an unconscious state,” said Neupane. “After which the two others were arrested while the minor was kept under police protection.”

The preliminary investigation has revealed that Hemraj Tharu, 17, of Baijanath Rural Municipality-8, who had known the girl for a year on Facebook, had invited the minor to celebrate his birthday where she was later raped by his friends.

According to the police, the minor was raped at different places on Saturday night and Sunday—first raped by five youths in the forest of Mankhola and later by two youths in Baijanath.

“The accused are in custody at Dhanauli Police Post in Khajura,” said DSP Neupane.