MYSURU: Mysuru district police arrested three youths from T Narasipura in connection with an alleged gang rape of a woman in a lodge room in Kollegala, Chamarajanagar district, last week.

The woman, stated to be from West Bengal, has been moved to a rehabilitation centre for counselling and support, and her identity is being verified.Superintendent of police Mallikarjun Baladandi said a gang-rape case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on the survivor’s complaint, and the three accused—Rihan, Kiran and Kishore—have been arrested. According to the complaint, the accused picked her up in a car, took her to a hotel in the neighbouring district, sexually assaulted her in hotel room and then attempted to extort money from her. She reportedly escaped after promising to pay them money kept at home. She got out of the car on reaching her residence, locked herself inside and raised an alarm, after which neighbours alerted police.Police, who are doubting the veracity of the complaint, said preliminary inquiry indicates the woman voluntarily travelled with the accused to the hotel. Investigators also claim a dispute arose after the accused found she had filmed a private act on her phone. The accused allegedly seized her mobile phone and formatted the phone and then demanded Rs 1 lakh from her. Though incident of rape is said to have happened in Chamarajanagar limits, Mysuru police have registered a case as the woman was allegedly picked up from a village in T Narasipura.(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)