DHARMAPURI, India, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Hundreds of police and officials were convicted for their roles in a 1992 raid on a small village in India that resulted in multiple rapes and beatings.
The Press Trust of India said a special court Thursday convicted all 269 police, forest and revenue department officials accused in the raid on the village of Vachathi in Tamil Nadu province.
Prosecutors said 18 women were raped repeatedly during the three-day ordeal in June 1992 after officials raided the town searching for smuggled sandalwood. About 100 tribal villagers were beaten and abused, NDTV reported.
Of the 269 people convicted, about 100 were police officers. NDTV said 17 Indian Forest Service officials were convicted of rape. Prison terms are expected to range from two to 10 years.
NDTV said it took years for the case to be brought to trial because of the number of policemen and officials involved.
