Gujarat: Man arrested for repeatedly raping minor, forcing abortion

“The girl, in her complaint, stated the accused used to call her ‘little sister’ since they both belonged to the same clan. One day, in 2020, the accused dragged the girl into a dilapidated building of the gram panchayat in the village and raped her at knife point. He had also threatened to kill her brother. The accused had raped the minor on multiple occasions following which she became pregnant,” a senior police officer in Palanpur division said.

The accused, the officer said, with the help of his two accomplices, including a woman, took the girl to Eva Care Hospital in Palanpur city and forced her to undergo abortion. “She was six-month pregnant at the time. After the procedure girl returned to her village, but when her condition deteriorated a few days later she informed her parents about the rape and abortion,” the officer added.

An FIR was lodged on March 13 at Palanpur Taluka police station after the family submitted a complaint. The Eva Care hospital management has also been booked in the case for failing to inform the police authorities about the abortion.

“We arrested the accused Tuesday on charges of rape and under sections of Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The hospital management has been booked for their culpability. Further investigation is going on,” the officer said.