TURA, Oct 12: The abduction and gang rape of a school girl belonging to a Garo village in Goalpara district of Assam has forced villagers and students from the region to stage a protest demanding harsh punishment to the rapists.

The girl, who was studying in a missionary school near Paikan in Goalpara district was abducted while returning home from a school function, last week.

She had gone to participate in a cultural event cum tree plantation programme and was returning home with a male classmate through a reserve forest area towards Bolbola village in Paikan when three non local men attacked them.

The three men, belonging to a minority community, assaulted the boy till he lost consciousness and dumped him under a culvert before taking the girl away to a secluded spot where they committed the crime.

The injured boy was able to gain consciousness and alerted locals in the area leading to the rescue of the girl, it was reported.

Following the incident, locals from the area rose in protest and staged a rally demanding exemplary punishment to the three accused men. School students, teachers, village elders and the general public joined hands to stage the protest on Tuesday shouting slogans, carrying banners and placards condemning the crime and demanding justice for the victim.