Indian villagers demand justice after missionaries are gang-raped

School children and villagers are calling for justice after five women working for a charity in remote eastern India were abducted and gang-raped at gunpoint.

The women were reportedly performing a play to raise awareness about human trafficking in the largely tribal Khunti district of Jharkhand state on Tuesday when they were abducted.

The site where five anti-trafficking women activists from a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) were abducted at gunpoint at Chochang village in Khunti district

School children and villagers attend a village meeting following the horrific attack which happened  south of Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand State on June 22

School children and villagers attend a village meeting following the horrific attack which happened south of Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand State on June 22

Villagers, including young school children have come together for a meeting in Chochang in Khunti calling for justice to be done to the women's attackers

Villagers, including young school children have come together for a meeting in Chochang in Khunti calling for justice to be done to the women’s attackers

According to police, the assailants shot videos of the attack and threatened the women if they reported the incident.

The women worked for the non-governmental organisation Asha Kiran which is supported by a local Christian missionary group.

Since the horrific sexual assault villagers, including children, are demanding action with the number of sex attacks in the country beginning to rise. 

Police have also rounded up some supporters of Pathalgadi, an anti-establishment self-rule movement popular in several tribal villages. 

School children and villagers attend a village meeting following the horrific sex assault

School children and villagers attend a village meeting following the horrific sex assault

Superintendent of Police Khunti district Ashwani Kumar Sinha talks to the media following the abductiona at gunpoint and gang-rape of the five anti-trafficking women activists

Superintendent of Police Khunti district Ashwani Kumar Sinha talks to the media following the abductiona at gunpoint and gang-rape of the five anti-trafficking women activists

Pathalgadi supporters resent outsiders and do not allow them to enter or settle in their area.

Khunti is also a hotbed of Maoists, armed guerrillas who have been waging a decades-long insurgency mainly for land rights.

Prasad said the women had undergone medical tests and that police were awaiting the results.

India has been in the global spotlight since the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a woman on a New Delhi bus sparked angry protests. 

Jharkhand has seen protests after three teenagers were raped and burnt alive in separate incidents last month

Jharkhand has seen protests after three teenagers were raped and burnt alive in separate incidents last month

The assailants were said to have taken the women away at gunpoint and shot videos of the attack

The assailants were said to have taken the women away at gunpoint and shot videos of the attack

But the number of sex attacks has grown since then with some 39,000 rape cases reported nationally in 2016.

Jharkhand has especially been in the spotlight after three teenagers were raped and burnt alive in separate incidents last month. 

The women were said to have been working for non-governmental organisation Asha Kiran (pictured)

The women were said to have been working for non-governmental organisation Asha Kiran (pictured)

Police and soldiers in the remote district of Khunti, Jharkhand state, were called in to investigate on Tuesday

Police and soldiers in the remote district of Khunti, Jharkhand state, were called in to investigate on Tuesday



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