3 held for rape of teenage girl in Rajasthan

The fourth accused, who had allegedly circulated the victim’s photos on social media, is still at large.

A 14-year-old girl was raped allegedly by two men in Barodameo village of Rajasthan’s Alwar district and her photographs were circulated on social media. Police have arrested three persons, including the wife of an alleged rapist, in connection with the crime.

The incident comes barely three months after the rape of a Dalit woman in front of her husband at Thanagazi in Alwar, which had caused widespread outrage because of video-recording of the crime. The victim and her family had alleged that the police did not take action for seven days because of the Lok Sabha elections.

Clicked photographs

A woman named Raunak, staying in the neighbourhood, took the girl to her home where she was allegedly raped by one Rahul. Police said Raunak’s husband Jaikam also raped the victim and clicked her photographs after Rahul left.

A few days after the incident, another man blackmailed the girl into meeting him in private and threatened her to circulate her photographs. The photos were later uploaded on social media and were seen by a relative of the girl.

FIR registered

On the complaint of the teenage girl’s mother, a first information report under Section 376-D (gangrape) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the POCSO Act and the Information Technology Act was registered at Barodameo police station. Police arrested Rahul from Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday and also apprehended Jaikam and Raunak, who were absconding.

Police said the fourth accused, who had allegedly circulated the victim’s photos on social media, was still at large and raids were being conducted to arrest him.