A woman in India has allegedly been gang-raped by 13 men on the order of village elders.
The woman (20) was reportedly attacked by the men in Subalpur village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.
She told the police she was gang-raped through the night so many times that she lost count.
"People from the village, men my father's age, and those who I knew as neighbours, as uncles and brothers raped me," she said.
She was accused of breaking tribal rules by having an affair with a man from a different tribe.
The pair were found by the villagers who set up a kangaroo court and levied a fine of 50,000 Indian rupees (€590) on the couple.
The girl's family could not afford to pay the crime and as punishment ordered the gang rape.
Police investigation
Birbhum's police superintendent PC Sudhakar said: "Our preliminary investigation has revealed that the villagers held a meeting and the morol (village headman) ordered that the girl be gang-raped.
All of the accused, including the village head man who allegedly ordered and led the assault, have been arrested.
Tribal punishments
The village is the home district of the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee.
A few years ago a tribal teenager was paraded naked on the orders of a similar medieval-style village court in the same district.
The government of West Bengal is facing immense anger over atrocities against women.
In October last year a woman was gang-raped twice by the same men for complaining to the police. She was set ablaze and died of burn injuries. All suspects have since been arrested.
Bus murder
The horrific Delhi bus gang rape and murder in December 2012 brought the issue into the lime light.
Unprecedented protests took place in the national capital and across the nation, and the government brought in new laws to protect women.
Even with the changes there has been a spate of sexual violence against women.
Last week a Danish tourist (51) was gang raped in the heart of Delhi.
She had asked a group of men for directions to her hotel.
