Minor rape victim killed by kin in MP, say police

BHOPAL: A 17-year-old rape survivor was murdered by her maternal uncle and his son in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district, police said on Saturday.

The girl, who was raped by a villager earlier this month, was forced to consume poison by her uncle and cousin, a senior police officer said.

Based on a complaint from the girl’s father, the accused, aged 48 and 22, were arrested on Saturday after a case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against them, said Mukesh Gaud, in charge, Khilchipur police station.

“On May 18, the police were informed that the rape survivor died in suspicious circumstances,” said Gaud. “Her maternal uncle informed the police that she consumed poison and died by suicide. On Friday, his son was interrogated and confessed to the crime.”

During interrogation, the girl’s cousin told the police that they killed her because she defamed his family in the village, the senior officer said. “They forced her to consume poison and later changed her clothes to present it as a suicide case,” Gaud added.

Role of other family members is being investigated, he said.

Earlier, the minor was abducted and raped by a 22-yearold man, police said.

“The girl shifted to her maternal uncle’s house a year ago after the death of her mother due to Covid-19. The 22-year-old man from the same village as her maternal uncle abducted the minor on April 30 and took her to Rajgarh,” said Gaud. “Her maternal uncle informed told her father, who filed a missing person’s complaint.”

Later, the girl was recovered from the Raigarh bus stand and the accused was arrested, Gaud said. The accused was booked for abduction and rape. He is currently lodged in jail.