Ranchi: A 17-year-old transgender boy was allegedly gang-raped by six men in Patratu Valley, around 30km from the capital, on Monday night. An FIR was lodged at Pithoria thana on Wednesday.

The minor is currently being treated at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Bariatu.

According to a source at the state-run hospital, the boy, believed to be a resident of Hazaribagh, was returning from Patna, Bihar, after attending a wedding that evening when the car he was travelling in was intercepted in the valley by six youths on two bikes.

"The gang scared the driver into fleeing and then took the teenager to a nearby forest, where they gang-raped him. They also tried to poison him, but the boy managed to escape. He reached Ratu thana with the help of a truck driver and reported the incident. He was brought here for medical examination around 11pm the same (Monday) night," the RIMS official said.

RIMS director Dr R.K. Srivastava said the teenager was stable. "He survived sodomy and is better. He wants to go home, but we want to run some more tests because this is a police case," Dr Srivastava said.

Pithoria thana OC Lalji Yadav said they were officially intimated on Wednesday and an FIR had been lodged.

"The matter came to my knowledge this morning after Ratu police sent a recorded statement of the survivor of an alleged gang-rape. We have begun investigations, but are yet to make any headway," the officer said.

Rural SP Ajit Peter Dungdung promised better patrolling in the area.

"We will increase night patrolling in the area and step up vigil against suspicious movements. Instructions have been issued to the local police station," he added.

Is patrolling adequate on state and national highways? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com