Patna: Two minor girls were raped while another was assaulted, molested, stripped and her hair was cut in Araria district in two separate incidents on a day the Bihar police claimed there was a dip in incidents of rape and crime against women in August in comparison to July this year.

The incident of rape happened in Dholbajja panchayat area under Forbesganj police station area in the district. The two girls - sisters who are both students of Class V - were accosted and raped by a couple of youths at a deserted place when they were returning home after visiting relatives in a neighbouring village.

Police sources said the two girls were held captive since August 31 evening till 1pm on September 1 and raped repeatedly before being released. They somehow managed to reach their home and narrated their ordeal to family members who took the complaint to Forbesganj police station on Monday.

Forbesganj sub-divisional police officer Manoj Kumar confirmed the incident and said: "We have not only registered an FIR, but have also arrested the two accused involved in the case."

The second incident happened at a village under Jokihat police station area.

Additional director-general (police headquarters) S.K. Singhal said: "An FIR has been registered at the women's police station in Araria against six persons. They barged into the house of the girl and misbehaved with her. Her hair was also cut."

Singhal said the incident was of August 31, but came to light on Monday and added that no video of the act has been recovered by the police so far.

Police sources said the 16-year-old girl has alleged that her tormentors stripped her and tried to mutilate her private parts and made her walk naked in and around her house while she was alone.

She managed to escape from their clutches by making an excuse of relieving herself and informed her family members about the ordeal.

In her statement to the police, she has also said that the group of people from her village did so to take revenge for a minor issue due to which there was friction between her and the family members of one of her friends. The victim had revealed to the husband of her friend that she (her friend) had consumed poison two years ago over an affair.

Araria superintendent of police Dhurath Sayli Sablaram, however, said the girl was not paraded naked.

"We have identified the accused. They have fled from the village and the police are conducting raids. We have information that the girl's father was also involved in the act. Further investigations are on," Dhurath said.

The incidents come days after a mob paraded a woman naked at Bihiya in Bhojpur after a youth was found dead.