15-yr-old raped by relative, pregnant; accused held

GHAZIABAD:A 15-year-old girl from Ghaziabad was allegedly repeatedly raped by a relative for several months and found to be pregnant after she was taken to a doctor, the police said. The 28-yearold accused, who lives in the same locality as the girl, was arrested by the police.

The police said the girl’s family lodged an FIR at the Link Road police station on April 27 for rape, criminal intimidation and under provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. The FIR identified one of the girl’s relatives, who is from Bihar but stays in the same locality, as the accused, police said.

“The girl was found to be pregnant after she developed health complications and her family took her to a doctor. Her family is also from Bihar. The accused is 28 years old and is married. It is alleged that he had been abusing her for several months. The family has lodged an FIR and the accused was arrested and sent to jail,” said Dr Rakesh Mishra, circle officer (Sahibabad).

“The girl is with her family. We will follow due procedure in the case and seek directions from the court, if needed, in case the girl’s family wishes to terminate her pregnancy,” he added.

Police officials added that the accused had been sexually assaulting the girl, a Class 9 student, for the past four months and had also been threatening her.

“We have arrested the accused and he was sent to jail after he was produced before a court. The girl’s pregnancy is at nearly 17 weeks and her family members say they want to terminate it... We will now be taking the girl to get her statement recorded before a magistrate,” said sub-inspector Ajay Verma, case investigating officer.