Three young men raped a 50-year-old widow at Kobna village in Huntergunj block of Chatra and mutilated her genitalia.

Huntergunj police have arrested one of the culprits.

Officials said the three caught her unaware when she went to relieve herself on Thursday night around 10PM.

She said the trio gagged her and raped one-after-another. Before leaving the spot, they threatened her not to file a complaint with the police.

Seeing that the woman didn't return home, her sister-in-law went searching and found her in a pool of blood. With the help of a villager, she took her home and on Friday morning informed others.

Villagers outside Huntergunj police station in Chatra on Friday. Vishvendu Jaipuriar

Villagers informed the police after which superintendent of police Rishav Kumar Jha, DSP Avinash Kumar and Huntergunj officer-in-charge Sachin Kumar Das reached the spot to investigate.

The woman was taken to Huntergunj community health centre where her condition was termed critical. Later doctors decided to refer her to Magadh Medical College in neighbouring Gaya after performing an emergency surgical procedure.

Two of the rapists have been identified as Bablu Paswan and Biltu Paswan. The identity of the third is yet to be confirmed.

The incident has sparked anger in the area. Villagers have demanded death penalty for the rapists.