Nun, 71, who was gang-raped by six men at an Indian Christian school

The 71-year-old was trying to prevent six men from assaulting another woman and robbing the Christian missionary school on Friday night when she was locked in a room and raped.

CCTV was released for the first time yesterday showing the suspects leaving the staff room at the Convent of Jesus and Mary School in West Bengal. A reward of 100,000 rupees (£1,075) is on offer for any leads, police said.

But the victim is said to be more concerned that the men are forgiven and the students are safe.

One mother, who went to visit the nun at her hospital in Ranaghat, said: 'That's the greatness of a spiritual soul like her.

'All of us want the miscreants behind such a heinous crime to be arrested and given exemplary punishment.'

Atindranath Mondal, hospital superintendent, added that the nun was brought to the hospital around 7am on Saturday.

'Immediately a team of doctors attended to her and a senior gynaecologist operated on her,' he told The Times of India.  

Arnab Ghosh, a police superintendent, said five men had been detained for questioning.

He added: 'CCTV footage showed that six men, aged between 20 and 30, scaled the boundary wall around 11.40pm and entered the school and disconnected the telephone lines.' 

The robbers then tied up and gagged a security guard before entering the nuns' room, where they found the women sleeping, police said.

When the victim, who is the oldest nun at the school, tried to stop them taking another woman into a separate room they raped her. 

The men escaped with some cash, a mobile phone, a laptop and a camera. They also ransacked the school's chapel and took holy items. Footage shows books and papers strewn across the floor as the men leave the staff room.

One sister, who flew in from Rome after the incident, said she had never heard of such an attack on a nun, even in conflict zones.

Mr Ghosh added: 'At least two of them were armed and the rest were carrying burglary tools. In the chapel, a holy scripture was found torn and a bust of Jesus was broken.' 

Furious residents took to the streets yesterday, shouting slogans demanding action and blocking off the main highway.

Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister, also tweeted her condemnation of what she called a 'horrific attack' promising 'swift, strong action'.

(dailymail.co.uk)