In India's southern Kerala state, six people have been arrested over rape allegations by an 18-year-old sportswoman. The girl, who recently turned 18, claimed that she was raped and sexually exploited by at least 62 people including her coaches since the age of 13, IANS news  agency reported.

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Arrests made

The Kerala Police said that multiple FIRs have been registered, and five arrests were made in connection with the case. A sixth person was already in jail in connection with a separate case relating to the abuse of a minor.

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Local police stations in Elavanthitta, Konni and Pathanamthitta have registered five FIRs, and more are expected to be filed in the coming days.

The FIRs have been filed under India's POCSO act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act).

The case came to light when the victim's teachers at a counselling session conducted by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Pathanamthitta mentioned behavioural changes in the girl.

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Upon questioning, the victim revealed gory details about the assault she faced.

The case was then handed over to the Pathanamthitta district police chief.

Perpetrators who carried out the heinous crime

The Kerala teen, as per reports, in her preliminary statement has named 40 people who assaulted her. The girl who didn't have a mobile phone of her own had saved their numbers on her father's cellphone. 

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She revealed that her assaulters included friends, coaches and senior sportsmen, and that she has faced exploitation for some years. Different reports have put the age at which the exploitation started at 13 and 16 years.

A special team consisting of top officers has been constituted to investigate the crime.

(With inputs from agencies)