Keonjhar: Two minor girls were allegedly sexually abused in separate incidents in the district in the past 24 hours.

Police have taken both the accused, including a juvenile, into custody.

A 12-year-old was allegedly raped in a forest in Bamebari police limits on Saturday afternoon. The incident occurred when the survivor had gone to forest to pluck jackfruits. The 14-year-old accused, who was collecting fuel wood, spotted her in the deserted forest and forced himself on her, the police said.

A group of cattle grazers found her in a distressed state. After realising what had happened, they searched for the accused.

The juvenile, who was hiding in the forest, was later nabbed by the cattle grazers. Later, an irate mob assaulted him. The accused, who suffered multiple injuries, is undergoing treatment at a hospital. He will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board after he is discharged, the police said.

The cops had sent the minor for a medical exam, which has detected sexual assault.

In the other incident, a 23-year-old man allegedly kidnapped and raped a minor for a week in a deserted house.

The cops arrested Sudarshan Munda of Manoharpur in Sadar police limits and rescued the girl, 12, on Saturday.

Munda has been booked under sections 354 (outraging the modesty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act, 2012. He will be produced in court later, the police said.