Cuttack, July 3: Three persons, including two teenagers, were arrested here on Monday for allegedly raping and killing a minor girl at Bahugram in Jagatpur on June 30.

The girl had ran away from home with one of the accused boys after she had flunked in the board examination on June 29. The boy, along with two other accomplices, had allegedly raped her and then slit her throat with a sharp weapon.

Police have recovered the weapon used by the assailants.

The body of the victim was recovered on June 30, two days after she had gone missing from her house. Her body bore injury marks on neck and hands. Her family members had alleged that she was raped and murdered.

Deputy commissioner of police S. Praveen Kumar said the girl, who was staying at her maternal uncle’s house in a place within the limits of Jagatpur police station, had an affair with one of the boys. Both of them had planned to run away after the girl had failed to clear the matriculation examination, the results of which were announced on June 28.

The police, however, refused to confirm the allegation of rape raised by the deceased girl’s parents, saying that her body had been sent for a post-mortem and everything could be ascertained only after obtaining the report.

“We are investigating into the case and all possible angles are being verified,” Kumar said.

Involvement of minors in criminal activities has lately become a cause of concern. Two days ago, three school students were arrested for allegedly killing a 65-year-old woman for a gold chain at Jarapali village in Sambalpur district the previous day.