Suspect arrested in India nun rape

Broadcaster NDTV reported that police detained the suspect in the western city of Mumbai, after matching his description to that of a man caught on video surveillance at the time of the attack.

A police official told news agency AFP the man was picked up at a hideout on Wednesday night, and is being brought to authorities' headquarters in Kolkata.

Six men attacked the Jesus and Mary convent school and church in Ranaghat around two weeks ago. A security guard was tied up and the nun assaulted before the group fled with cash and valuables.

Although a gang rape investigation has been opened, police say only one person was confirmed as having raped the nun. The woman, aged in her seventies, was admitted to hospital for surgery following the attack.

Authorities had identified at least four of the robbers and brought in eight people for questioning, but until now no arrests had been made.

Slow going

Last week the West Bengal state government said it was handing the case over to India's top investigators, after progress in the case was criticized as too slow.

There have been a number of attacks on Christian institutions in recent months, including a church under construction that was vandalized in the northern state of Haryana just over a week ago.

It was also the latest in a series of high-profile rapes in India.

A reward of 100,000 rupees ($1,600) was offered for any information on the whereabouts of the suspects involved.

India's population is around 80 percent Hindu, while Christians make up less than three percent.

The nation's Hindu Nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to crack down on religious violence, he said the attack on the nun was deeply concerning.

an/msh (AFP, Reuters)