Hyderabad: Three men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting three minor girls from the city at a lodge in neighbouring Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, police said on Thursday.

The incident happened on September 21. The girls, all class ninth students, went “missing” on September 20 after they were “lured” by the men, who had befriended them online on the pretext of a trip.

The three accused took the girls to Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district and booked rooms in a lodge and allegedly sexually assaulted them, police said. The girls were later dropped off by the accused in the city and they subsequently informed their parents about the incident.

Based on a complaint lodged by their parents, a case was registered under relevant sections of POCSO Act and the accused were arrested here on September 24 and sent to judicial remand, a police official at Alwal Police Station said.

Meanwhile, police also arrested a person, who runs the lodge in connection with the case, for renting the rooms, another official said.