19 years later,brothers held for raping minor

Two brothers from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl 19 years ago,police said. The men,who were declared proclaimed offenders,had managed to evade the police several times before finally getting arrested on Wednesday.

“On a tip-off that the accused,Sajawal (45) and Girdawal (50) were residing in Mirzapur,police conducted raids and arrested them,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Meenu Choudhary,adding that the two were held while they were planning their escape.

Police said that on March 17,1992,Sajawal — then a labourer in an Okhla export company — befriended the girl and lured her to his native village on the pretext of marrying her. “Once there,he and Girdawal sexually assaulted her,” a police officer said.

Though police rescued the girl,the brothers managed to escape. They were later declared proclaimed offenders in a case of kidnapping and rape registered in Okhla. Sajawal was a carpet seller,and Girdawal a labourer.