A man in Xiangtan, Central China's Hunan Province was arrested on Monday after he raped his housemate, locked her in a suitcase and then abandoned her in a local park, local police announced on Tuesday.

Xiangtan police rescued the victim, who was found by locals naked and locked in a suitcase in the city's Muyu Lake park at around 9:30 pm on Monday, the Xiangtan public security bureau said on its official Sina Weibo account Tuesday morning.

The victim has received medical attention and her life is not in danger, said the police statement.

The 23-year-old suspect, surnamed Pan, raped his housemate at around 7:20 pm after realizing he was alone with the victim.

Pan admitted to police that he threatened the victim and beat her unconscious before sexually assaulting the girl.

He then put the girl into a suitcase and took her to the Muyu Lake park to abandon.

The girl cried for help after waking up while Pan was pulling the suitcase in the park. Locals reported their suspicions to police after hearing her cries.

When police caught Pan, around an hour after he dumped the case, he was in the middle of the lake as he had tried to swim away from the scene.

According to videos and pictures witnesses posted on their Weibo accounts, several girls helped the victim get out of the case, while male witnesses looked away. One man took off his T-shirt and gave it to the girl.  

The suspect is receiving medical treatment for injuries he received during the escape, Xiangtan police said.

The case is still under investigation, police added.