Bhopal, Sep 13 (IANS): Loud music during picnic at night caught the attention of the accused individuals involved in the alleged attack on two army officers and the rape of one of the female companions in Madhya Pradesh's Mhow, the police said on Friday.

According to the police, it was learned during the investigation that the two army officers along with their female friends reached the spot at around 11 p.m. on September 10. The incident happened on the intervening night of September 10 and 11.

The six accused persons reached the spot on hearing sound of loud music being played at a relatively deserted and secluded area. The army officers and their friends were out there for a picnic.

"The four of them were listening to loud music, and on hearing the sound late in the night, the six accused reached the spot and committed the crime," Indore (Rural) SP Hitika Vasal said on Friday.

Vasal said that the third accused involved in the case had been arrested late on Thursday. During questioning, the accused told the police that they went to the "picnic spot" after hearing loud music.

On Thursday, Vasal had said that all six accused have been identified. Two were arrested on Wednesday, while the third accused was arrested late on Thursday.

However, three more accused were still at large.

To apprehend them, 10 police teams have been carrying out relentless searches in villages, forest and other places, and also in Indore city.

The police have also announced an award of Rs 10,000 on each arrest, Vasal said, adding that multiple raids are being conducted at different places.

"All the accused will be arrested as soon as possible," the police officer added.

The army officers along with their female friends had gone for a picnic near Jam Gate in Mhow, in the outer part of Indore.

Located on the Vindhya Range, Jam Gate is surrounded by forests.

The place attracts a lot of tourists, mainly during the monsoon season. The area, however, gets deserted at night.

On the day of incident, one of the accused also threatened the army officers and their female friends with a pistol, while the others were armed with sticks, the police had said on Wednesday.

The accused persons also held "one of the couples hostage and assaulted them", declaring that they will be released once an amount of Rs 10 lakh is paid.

Hitika Vasal also claimed that the police teams had reached the spot as soon as the incident was reported, "but all the accused had fled after noticing police vehicles".