A minor girl was allegedly raped in Bhopal for seven years by her brother-in-law after she lost her parents, police said Tuesday.
Police registered an FIR against the 32-year-old man under section 376 (rape) of IPC and under relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act on Tuesday. Police are trying to nab the accused, who is absconding, said Sai Krishna Thota, superintendent of police, Bhopal (South).
The crime came to light after the 16-year-old survivor shared her ordeal with her friend, with whom she works as a volunteer in a non-government organisation (NGO). The friend informed her seniors in the NGO. The NGO members counselled the girl and helped her in lodging the complaint with the police, said the SP.
“The victim lost her parents when she was just 9-year-old in 2014. Her elder sister and her husband, who is the accused, took her and her elder brother to their home to take care of them. The accused raped her after a few weeks of taking the girl home. He raped her many a time at a rented accommodation of his friend. He threatened her of dire consequences if she reported the crime to anyone. A few years ago, the girl shifted to some other place with her brother, who got a job. The girl also started working with the NGO since a few months ago,” said the officer.
The girl recently shared her ordeal with her friend. When some NGO members to whom her friend conveyed the girl’s sufferings at her brother-in-law’s hand they talked to the girl but she did not open up. However, after counselling she mustered courage to tell them what had happened to her all these years. She lodged a complaint with TT Nagar police station on Monday, said Manoj Dave, town inspector TT Nagar police station.
“An investigation is going on,” Dave said.
