15-year-old gang-raped, sold for sex, four held

LUCKNOW: A 15-year-old girl was held captive, gang raped and sold for sex for over 13 months by men who promised her a job in the Mahanagar area of Lucknow, the police said on Thursday.

The girl, now five months’ pregnant, fled from the house of her captors about a fortnight ago and told her parents about the ordeal, the police added. Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) and arrested four men on Thursday.

Lucknow commissioner of police DK Thakur said, “We have arrested one Upreta Kumar, 57, Jeetu Kashyap, 38, Ajay Kumar, 47 and Varun Tiwari, 38, for holding captive and gang raping a minor girl. Our teams are looking for the other accused in the matter.”Police are also looking for two other men who sexually exploited her, but are yet to be identified.

The girl, a native of Nepal, came to Lucknow two years ago looking for a job. Her parents are marginal labourers, who have been living and working in the state capital for at least five years. The main accused Upreta Kumar, 57, who works as a guard at a school, also belongs to Nepal. “Upreta took advantage of the girl and lured her with the prospect of job. He took her to a few houses as a house help and began exploiting her sexually,” police officials said.

Upreta also allegedly began selling her to other people for sex. The girl identified Jeetu, Ajay and Varun with whom she was forced to have sex by Upreta, the police said. “The girl identified the accused and even their houses, which made it easier to arrest them,” said a senior official involved in investigation of the case. All this while, the girl didn’t reveal anything to her parents and endured harassment out of fear. “Upreta used to threaten her with dire consequences if she told anyone about it (her plight),” the official said.

Over time, the harassment by Upreta grew worse.

“He used to hold her captive at his home for days without food and often used to beat her. A fortnight ago, the girl fled from his captivity and reached home and began living with her parents,” said the official.

A few days ago, the girl’s mother took her to a doctor when she complained of stomach ache. The doctor conducted an ultrasound examination and informed them about the pregnancy. The girl then narrated her ordeal to her mother who lodged a complaint at the Mahanagar police station.

The police have filed an FIR under Sections 342, 376D of the IPC and sections of POCSO Act.