Baripada: Police arrested three persons on the charge of gang-raping a 30-year-old mentally challenged woman.

The three have been identified as Sale Hansda, 33, Kanhucharan Marndi, 35, both resident of Banatapada village and Hrudanath Nayak, 52, of Kendugadi village.

They were forwarded to court after being booked under section 376(2)(l) and 3676(d), said officer in charge of Badasahi police station Jaynarayan Khandei.

Police said the woman was raped when she took shelter at the local Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendra on Friday night. The trio, who were in an inebriated state, raped her there. Hearing her screams, people in the vicinity rescued her and apprehended the accused. The mob thrashed them before handing them over to the police. The local sarpanch has lodged a complaint with the police.

Khandei said the accused persons were forwarded to court after medical examination. The woman, who is married, has been lodged in a short-stay home in Baripada.

"Her identity is yet to be established. Till that happens, she has been put up at a short-stay home in Baripada. She is mentally challenged and she says she belongs to Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. Her husband has died and they have two children. She came to Odisha by train about four months ago," said Khandei. "Her statements are to be recorded in court under section 164 of CrPC on Monday."