By Nelson Benjamin

JOHOR BARU: A 15-year-old student who left home to visit a friend that she met through a social networking website, was held captive for several days and gang-raped by at least 15 teenagers in an apartment.

Police rescued the girl, who has a hearing disability, following a tip-off from an alert neighbour, who noticed young men frequenting the flat until the early hours of the morning in Ulu Tiram several days ago.

Subsequent police operations led to the arrest of at least six teenagers.

It is learnt that the girl had befriended a teenager through a website recently and agreed to meet up with him.

She followed him to his apartment where she was held captive and raped by the youth and his 14 buddies over a span of several days.

It is learnt that the girl was told that she would be harmed if she did not give in to their demands.

Police found the victim locked in the apartmentand sent her to the hospital for a medical examination.

Sri Alam OCPD Supt Roslan Zainuddin, when contacted yesterday confirmed the incident.

"We have so far arrested six men in connection with the case," he said, adding that the suspects had been remanded.

In an unrelated case, police rounded up more than 30 people in connection with the robbery and gang-rape of a housewife in Kangkar Pulai last week.

The special task force was led by Johor CID chief Senior Asst Comm II Datuk Amer Awal.

It is learnt that at least four suspects were arrested in Kuala Lumpur.

Initial investigations showed that the crimes were committed by at least nine men.

It was reported that burglars broke into the woman's house while her husband was performing his morning prayers.