16-year-old guest worker from Assam raped by co-workers in Chennai; one held

CHENNAI: A 16-year-old guest worker from Assam was raped by two of her co-workers. One of them, prime suspect Ruben, was arrested on Wednesday. Police said the girl arrived in Chennai six months ago to work for a private company in Neelankarai.

There, she befriended the 19-year-old Ruben, also from Assam and working for the same company.Police said Ruben invited the girl to his residence in Kottivakkam, where he threatened and raped her. A few days later, he coerced the girl into sleeping with his friend, Alan Hussain, 19, a native of Nagaland, also from the same company.Then, claiming to have recorded videos of the sexual assault, Ruben warned her that he would release photos and videos of her on social media if she disclosed the matter to anyone. The survivor later mustered up courage to lodge a formal complaint with the Neelankarai all-women police who registered a case under Pocso Act.Police have launched an intensive search for the second accused and further investigation is under way.