Puducherry: In a shocking incident, three men in Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, were arrested for raping a Class 9 girl student. The incident came to light after the minor girl returned home in a semi-conscious state on Saturday evening.

The girl was rushed to a nearby hospital where it was reportedly confirmed that the trio sexually assaulted her after spiking her cool drink.

The Class 9 student was reportedly invited by her boyfriend Naresh (19) to his friend’s house on Saturday(April 6). The girl was then allegedly given a spiked cool drink, following which her boyfriend sexually assaulted her. As the victim was unconscious, she was later sexually assaulted by a 32-year-old Raja and 19-year-old Suriya who are Naresh's friends.

Meanwhile, the victim's friends had lodged a missing complaint with the police as she was not at home. The victim, later in the evening returned home in a semi-conscious state.

The victim's parents rushed her to a nearby hospital where they realised that she was drugged and sexually assaulted. After receiving information from the victim, the police caught the trio and remanded them to the Cuddalore Central Prison.

The three accused have been booked under Section 366, 376, 376(d) and 506/2 of the Indian Penal Code. In addition to that, the police officials booked the trio in Sections 3(1)(x) and 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act, 1989.

As the victim is a minor, the trio has also been booked under the POCSO Act.