Three brothers have confessed to taking part in the gang rape of two teenage cousins aged 14 and 16 last week, but deny involvement in their subsequent murder.
The girls were abducted after going into an orchard in a community in Uttar Pradesh state to relieve themselves, since toilets in the village are rare. Women are frequently attacked in India because they have to leave the house late at night to go to the toilet.
Some witnesses saw the girls being taken but were unable to prevent it, according to reports. A relative of one of the girls tried to stop them being taken, but was scared away with a homemade gun.
The cousins were strangled to death and their bodies hung from a mango tree following the assault. When villagers discovered the girls bodies, they surrounded them, refusing to allow authorities to touch them until the attackers had been caught.
Local police are under fire for refusing to look for the girls after their families reported them missing, and two police officers have been arrested on alleged rape and murder charges. They may also be found guilty of conspiracy in the crime and negligence of duty, says CNN.
In addition to the five men arrested so far, another two unidentified suspects are being sought.
Picture: Getty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.