The mother of a 19-year-old tribal girl died of shock on Wednesday after she learned that her daughter was gangraped by a group of miscreants here on Tuesday night.

Police sources said the quintet had picked up the victim and her 16-year-old sister while they were returning home from a wedding ceremony at a village in Malda district and took them to two separate spots. “The elder girl was gangraped while the younger one was released after she refused to give in to their filthy proposals,” said a police source.

As both the girls were released after the crime, they had sought help from some villagers who took them for treatment, said the sources.

Alok Rajoria, the superintendent of police of Malda, said: “The principal accused Shailen Soren has been arrested following a complaint lodged by the victim. He has admitted his involvement in the crime and searches are on to nab four others involved in the incident. The case had been handed over to the women police station.”

The mother of the girls died of shock on Wednesday after she learnt about the incident, the sources said.