Man held for harassing minor

LUCKNOW : In yet another crime against women, a drunkard man, who is accused of sexually harassing an 11-year-old dalit girl, landed in police net here on Thursday after being at large for around six weeks. The girl’s father had lodged an FIR against him with Nigoha police on March 11.

Inspector of Nigoha police station, Champion Lal said the accused Rajendra Prasad Tewari was missing since the FIR (under IPC sections 354 A for sexual harassment and 7/8 Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act) was lodged against him. He said the accused was arrested when he visited his relative in Nigoha town area on Thursday morning. He said Tewari was a drunkard and he stripped in front of the girl in inebriated state after finding her alone near his house. He said the accused escaped when some villagers turned up to rescue the girl who was shouting for help after finding herself in trouble.

Earlier on Friday, a 22-year-old youth Vikas Dwivedi alias Rajan was held for alleged raped with a 12-year-old girl after holding her captive in a room in Sarojininagar area on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.

The victim’s mother had told the police that the accused forcibly dragged the girl to his house when she was sleeping outside her house and raped her.