Berhampur: Police arrested four youths in the age group between 22 and 32 years for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl on Friday night.

They raped the girl, belonging to Tamanada village in Jagannathprasad police limits, in a cashew plantation field near the village and made a video of it on their mobile phones, the police said.

"The arrested youths have been identified as Babu Behera, 32, of Hanukholia, Kalu Naik, 22, of Burapalli, Goura Naik, 25, of Tamanade and Rabi Naik, 24, of Gerada - all within Jagannathprasad police limits," said Bhanjanagar sub-divisional police officer Utkal Keshari Das.

"On Saturday, we sent all the four accused to MKCG Medical College and Hospital for medical examination. Earlier, the girl had been sent to the hospital for the same purpose," he said.

The matter came to light after the girl's family lodged a police complaint in connection with the incident.

During interrogation, it was revealed that Kalu had asked the girl to meet him in the cashew plantation field. However, the girl said that when she had gone to attend nature's call to the nearby cashew plantations on Friday the accused persons forcibly lifted her and raped her in turns. "I know two of them personally," said the girl.

Her mother said: "We became worried after she did not return home in time. I and some of our neighbours went to the cashew plantations in the afternoon. When the youths saw us, three of them fled. But, we overpowered one of them. The villagers later tied the youth and beat him before we handed him over to the police."

As the girl and her mother visited Jagannathprasad police station, Das recorded their statements and the cops swung into action.

In January, another minor girl was abducted from Bhanjanagar and allegedly gang-raped in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The police had rescued her from Bhubaneswar after five days. In October last year, a young woman hailing from Bhanjanagar was allegedly gang-raped by six persons in a forest near the Budhakendu Thakurani temple at Gangapur. The accused intercepted the victim, a Plus Three second-year student, while she was returning home with her fiance.