Teenage boy allegedly sodomised by 15 school seniors and neighbours

A grade nine boy was allegedly sodomised by a gang of 15 boys in Mumbai, India, police said on Thursday (3 August). Seven of the accused have been arrested while the others are absconding.

The 16-year-old victim told police that most of the accused were his seniors in school and neighbours.

They were all minors, police said, adding that the arrested boys were presented before a juvenile court on Tuesday. "As all of them were juveniles, we produced them before the special juvenile court in Dongri which has taken over their custody. Investigations are on," an officer was quoted by the Times of India as saying.

In the complaint filed by the teenage victim, he said the gang has been exploiting him for the past one year. Recently, they sexually abused him in an open ground in the Mumbai suburb of Andheri, following which he filed a police complaint.

The Asian Age reported that the boy first approached a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with his parents, who later took him to the police. He was initially afraid of sharing the humiliating details of his months-long abuse, but could not bear it and confided in his mother.

The victim has been left traumatised by the shocking incident, police said, and added that he was undergoing counselling. He also underwent medical examination.

Meanwhile, the arrested boys have confessed to committing the crime, police claimed and said that they were trying to dig out more details in the case.

The police are recording statements of the victim's other friends who could be aware of the abuse incidents, the Asian Age wrote.