The United Nations has condemned an attack in India, in which a woman was reportedly raped by five men for a second time.

The student was allegedly gang-raped by the same five men who also attacked her three years ago.

The 21-year-old was attacked last week in the northern state of Haryana.

Reports say she had been pursuing a case in court against the five men, when she was attacked on Wednesday.

The woman said she was forced inside a car and the men tried to strangle her.

She was then left in bushes when a passerby saw her and took her to the hospital.

In a statement UNICEF principal gender advisor, Anju Malhotra, said: "The reported gang rape of a young Dalit woman in India by the same five men who had raped her three years ago underlines the heinous culture of impunity that surrounds violence against girls and women."

"Approximately 120 million girls worldwide - one in every 10 - will experience sexual violence."

"The majority of these girls are violated for the first time between the ages of 15 and 19."

"But outrage is not enough. We need action now to end this brutality that has become routine and to give the victims of violence the justice and protection they deserve," she added.