Police Constable arrested for raping 13-year-old niece during lockdown

Police Constable arrested for raping 13-year-old niece during lockdown

A constable of Hyderabad police was arrested Thursday for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old minor girl. The constable, identified as VS Umesh, had allegedly raped the minor girl, said to be his distant relative, after luring her to his house.

The incident reportedly occurred in Bowenpalli police station limits two months ago during lockdown. However, the victim’s family only approached the police Thursday. The 33-year-old constable, who was residing next to the victim’s house in Sikh village, committed the crime when the girl was alone.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar announced the arrest. “None is above law. We had to arrest a constable of Ramgopalpet who molested a girl. He is being sent to jail. I feel ashamed that there are such black sheep in our department,” the police chief tweeted

Basing on the victim’s statement, police booked the constable under Indian Penal Code’s section 376 (3) (rape of a minor) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and also Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The victim’s mother first brought the issue to the notice of ‘Balala Hakkula Sangham’, a NGO working for child rights. The body’s president Achyuta Rao told this agency IANS that they informed Additional Commissioner of Police Shikha Goel, who alerted Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone).

Rao said the accused took advantage of the lockdown and committed the crime when the girl was alone. After the rape he threatened the girl that if she informed anyone, she would be killed.