Muzaffarpur: A group of villagers around Motipur torched houses and attacked residents of Barji village on Wednesday following the rape of a woman on Sunday night.

Police said 35-year-old Meraj Alam from Barji barged into a neighbour's house on Sunday night. He allegedly tied the woman's hands and legs and raped her in front of her eight-year-old son. The woman - in her early 20s - and her son cried for help.

Some villagers claimed that while the rape survivor appealed for justice, the matter was hushed up. She went to Motipur police station, around 95km northwest of Patna, to lodge the FIR against Meraj.

The police recorded her statement and forwarded her to sadar hospital for medical examination. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harprit Kaur said: "The woman was later examined at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital and was admitted there for necessary care."

As news of the rape spread like wildfire, and that Meraj had fled the village, the angry mob attacked Meraj's house and his relatives on Wednesday. More people from Barji, Kalyanpur and Huraina also rushed to the area and torched at least five houses. As tensions ran high, district magistrate (DM) Mohammad Sohail and SSP Kaur rushed to the trouble-torn village to tackle the situation with heavy police reinforcement.

Villagers who were attacked and their houses set on fire fled the village.

The DM, SSP and other police officers are camping in the village while 35 people involved in the attack and arson have been arrested. Deputy superintendent of police (west) Krishna Murari Prasad and Motipur station house officer Subash Prasad are conducting raid to arrest Meraj.