According to information available at the state police headquarters, the gang wielding swords and lathis entered the premises and raped the nuns and looted 20,000 rupees from them. The State Home Minister Harvansh Singh, the Director General of Police V P Singh and other senior officials have rushed to the village, coming under Kalyanpura Police Station in the tribal-dominated district, police said.

No one has been arrested so far and the entire area is cordoned off by the police. According to a complaint lodged by the nuns at Kalyanpura Police Station, the accused - followers of a political leader - attacked them and repeatedly raped them. The missionary nuns were working among adivasis in the district and it was the first incident so far reported of attack on the missionary.

According to official reports, the four nuns have been admitted to the Government Hospital at Jhabua. The victims were in a state of shock and were unable to describe the incident, according to a spokesman of the church here tonight.