Minor rape victim immolates herself in Jharkhand’s Chatra, accused arrested

Police arrested a rape accused on Friday, hours after the minor victim of the alleged sexual assault immolated herself in Jharkhand’s Chatra district. Chatra sub divisional police officer (SDPO) Gyan Ranjan said on Saturday the girl set herself on fire pouring kerosene over her soon after she was allegedly raped by Md Saddam at Humajang village on Thursday night.

The family members rushed her to a nearby hospital where she was declared brought dead. The police officer said the accused raped the girl when she ventured out of her home to answer nature’s call. On hearing alarms raised by the victim, the girl’s family members rushed and nabbed the accused, a resident of the same village. The villagers later informed Saddam’s family about his misdeeds. However, minutes later his brother Israr came, thrashed the girl’s family members, and threatened them of dire consequences before forcibly taking the accused with him.

Police after being informed of the incident, arrested the accused and his brother. “Preliminary investigation revealed that Md Saddam had raped the victim. When the villagers informed family members of the accused, Saddam’s brother Israr reached there and got the accused released forcefully from the villagers’ detention. Israr also helped the accused to hide. We have arrested both of them,” the SDPO said. Police said they are also probing the role of another brother of the accused, who was not named in the first information report lodged by the victim’s family.