Main suspect in alleged gang‑rape and murder of teenage girl in India arrested

Indian police say they have arrested the main suspect in an alleged gang‑rape and murder of a teenage girl.

Dhanu Bhuiyan and his accomplices are accused of burning the 16‑year‑old alive on Friday in the state of Jharkhand.

According to Police, she was killed after her parents complained to village elders that she had been raped.

The elders had told two accused rapists to do 100 sit‑ups and pay a 50,000 rupee fine as punishment.

The men who were allegedly accused got so enraged by the penalty that they beat the girl's parents then set her on fire.

The two accused thrashed the parents and rushed to the house where they set the girl ablaze with the help of their accomplices.

According to BBC, Police say they have arrested 15 of the 18 people they want to investigate in connection with the incidents.

A series of sexual assaults have triggered outrage across India as Councils of village elders carry no legal weight.

However, they have significant influence in many parts of rural India and are a way of settling disputes without having to go through India's expensive judicial system.

However, several village elders have been charged with passing unlawful orders and tampering with evidence.