first man arrested for the horrific gang-rape of an elderly Indian nun in her convent

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Mohammad Salim Shaikh was detained in Mumbai yesterday evening
74-year-old nun raped after stopping gang from assaulting another woman
CCTV was released of six men but it is not known if Salim was one of them
Attack caused days of furious demonstrations and peaceful protests

Published: 05:58 EST, 26 March 2015 | Updated: 12:33 EST, 26 March 2015

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Police have arrested their first suspect over the gang-rape of an elderly nun at an Indian convent.

Mohammad Salim Shaikh, 30, was detained in a hideout in Mumbai on Wednesday night and has been transferred to Kolkata, a police spokesman said.

His arrest comes 12 days after the 74-year-old nun was locked in a room and raped while trying to prevent six men from assaulting another woman and robbing the Christian missionary school.

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Arrest: Police have arrested Mohammad Salim Shaikh over the gang-rape of an elderly nun at a Indian convent

Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria said: 'The West Bengal team had the lead, they shared the information with us and sought our assistance.

'The assistance was provided and the accused was arrested from the Nagpada area and has been taken away by the Bengal team,' he told The Indian Express.

CCTV was released three days after the attack showing some of 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) was on offer for any leads, police said.

They detained five men for questioning but did not make any arrests. It is not known if Salim was caught on camera, Indian TV reported.

Guarded: The 30-year-old was made to sit inside a police vehicle, which was waiting outside a court in Ranaghat

Careful: The guards clutched Salim's arms and made sure he had handcuffs on as they led him past the press

Arnab Ghosh, a police superintendent, said the men, aged between 20 and 30, scaled the boundary wall around 11.40pm on Friday 13 March.

They entered the school and disconnected the telephone lines, he added.

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

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.

Caught: Three men were pictured on the Convent of Jesus and Mary School's CCTV but it is not known if Salim was one of them

Suspects: The CCTV footage was released three days after the attack showing the suspects leaving the school's staff room around midnight. Five other men were detained for questioning

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. CCTV showed books and papers strewn across the floor as the men left the staff room.

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.'

The nun was taken to hospital in Ranaghat around 7am on Saturday 14.

Demonstrations: Prayers were said at churches across India. Hundreds of people staged a demonstration in Ranaghat, where the nun is being treated in hospital, two days after the attack to demand justice

Sorrow: Nuns gathered in front of the convent after the attack. Archbishop Thomas D'Souza said the sisters prayed for the victim during Sunday Mass

Outrage: The robbers tied up and gagged a security guard before entering the nuns' room. Furious residents and students took to the streets after the attack to demand justice

Atindranath Mondal, hospital superintendent, told The Times of India: 'Immediately a team of doctors attended to her and a senior gynaecologist operated on her.'

She is now thought to be recovering well.

After the attack furious residents took to the streets, demanding action and blocking off the main highway.

Hundreds of students from the school carried banners with the slogan 'we want justice'.