A minor girl was allegedly gang raped by five people in front of her mother in Jharkhand's Deoghar district, a police officer said on Monday.

Two persons have been detained in this connection thus far, and a special investigation team (SIT) has been set up by the Deoghar Police to look into the matter, the officer said.

The girl and her mother, residents of Dumka district, were returning home from a function in Deoghar on Sunday when they came under attack in Madhupur area, said Sub-divisional Police Officer B Rout, quoting the FIR filed in the case.

Her mother filed the police complaint on Monday, following which the two were detained.

According to the complaint, five people on two motorcycles waylaid the two of them, and then took her daughter aside by force.

When the mother tried to stop them, she was beaten up and the girl was then raped in front of her, the complaint stated.

Deoghar Superintendent of Police (SP) Subhash Chandra Jat said the girl underwent a medical test, reports of which were awaited.

The police identified the accused and were on the lookout for the other three, he added.