SHO, who allegedly raped a minor in UP's Lalitpur, arrested; NHRC seeks report

Pic for representational use only

Lucknow: A police officer, who had allegedly raped a 13-year-old gang-rape survivor in Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur, has been arrested, the state police said on Wednesday evening.

The accused police officer, Station House Officer Tilakdhari Saroj, has been arrested in Prayagraj. All cops posted at the police station, where the alleged incident took place, have been removed from duty, ADG Prayagraj Prem Prakash told ANI.

Lalitpur rape case | Accused SHO arrested in Prayagraj: ADG Prayagraj Prem Prakash — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 4, 2022

A DIG-level officer will investigate the case and file a report within 24 hours, he added.

Meanwhile, NHRC today issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police, Uttar Pradesh and sought a report within 4-weeks in connection with the minor rape case.

NHRC issues notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police, Uttar Pradesh and sought a report within 4-weeks pertaining to media report of a rape of 13 years old girl by the in-charge of police station in Lalitpur district pic.twitter.com/80Jao2GQXT — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 4, 2022

The arrest was made shortly after a 13-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped by four people, alleged that she was raped again by the Station House Officer (SHO) of a police station in Lalitpur where she had gone to file a case.

The police arrested three of the accused after an FIR was registered against five people, including the SHO, who was absconding after committing the heinous crime. He was immediately suspended by the UP police and all the policemen of the Pali police station were sent to the police lines. 

Additional Director General of Police, Kanpur Zone, Bhanu Bhaskar said DIG, Jhansi Jogendra Kumar has been asked to probe the matter and submit the report within 24 hours. Senior police officials said the FIR was lodged based on the complaint of the victim.

"While the SHO has been suspended, all policemen of Pali police station in Lalitpur have been sent to police lines," Bhaskar said, adding that strict action will be taken against the guilty policemen.

The police also issued a statement, saying, "The FIR was lodged under various sections of the IPC, including 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), 376 B (intercourse by public servant with woman in his custody), 120 B (conspiracy), POCSO Act and SC/ST Act.".

In Lucknow, ADG (Law and Order), Prasant Kumar said the DIG entrusted with the task to probe the incident has been told to stay in Lalitpur till the case is resolved.

The victim's mother alleged that her daughter was taken to Bhopal on April 22 by four men and was raped there for three days. The accused left the girl at the Pali police station, where she was allegedly raped by the SHO, she alleged.

The girl reached a childline NGO later and narrated the whole incident during counselling. The NGO approached the Superintendent of Police, after whose intervention, an FIR was registered on Tuesday.

"The police have arrested three accused, while attempts are on to nab others, including the SHO," Superintendent of Police, Lalitpur Nikhil Pathak said.

Uttar Pradesh | A minor has alleged being raped by four boys on April 22. When she was brought to the police station, the SHO raped her as well. Case has been registered against six accused including SHO. One accused caught, SHO suspended: Nikhil Pathak, SP, Lalitpur (2.05) pic.twitter.com/ZkySIlI2nT — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 3, 2022

The Samajwadi Party, meanwhile, attacked the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government over the incident, asking where should "daughters go" and "whom to trust" in this government. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is expected to visit Lalitpur to meet the rape survivor's family.