In a bizarre case reported from Pratapgarh, a 70-year-old man has been booked for gang-rape along with four others.
Inspector General of Police (Prayagraj range) Rakesh Singh has ordered a probe into the case and asked the superintendent of police of Pratapgarh to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident before initiating any action.
The police claimed that the father of the victim had lodged an FIR with Kunda police against five persons, including the 70-year-old man, under sections 363, 366, 328, 376D and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 3 and 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) and accused them of keeping his minor daughter captive for around 15 days and raping her repeatedly at different locations.
The father informed the police that a youth, identified as Sachin from Kunda who studies with his daughter at a local coaching centre, had taken her out on July 11 evening and offered her tea laced with sedatives. He further alleged when his daughter became unconscious, she was gang-raped. He also claimed that not only Sachin but his brother and three others, including the elderly man, had raped his daughter repeatedly at separate locations and then freed her on July 26.
The victim's father alleged that the accused had threatened him with dire consequences if he dared to report the matter to the police. He also accused local police of registering a fake case of goat theft against him at the behest of the accused.
IG Rakesh Singh said: "SP (Pratapgarh) has been directed to conduct a detailed probe into the incident."
He added that senior cops would probe the charges and act accordingly.
Meanwhile in Kushinagar, a 22-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping a one-and-half-year-old infant girl in his neighbourhood, police said on Wednesday.
According to police, Ravi Rai, a resident of Vishnupura area of Kushinagar district, used to often play with the girl. Rai came to the child's house and took her away to buy chocolates on Tuesday morning. When Rai did not return even after two hours, the girl's family members went to his house and enquired about their daughter, but were unable to find her there. The girl's family members subsequently informed the police about the disappearance of the infant.
During police interrogation, the accused admitted to raping the girl who was later recovered from a farm.
On the written complaint of the girl's family members, police registered a case against the man under the POCSO Act and for rape.
Additional Superintendent of Police Ritesh Kumar Singh, said, "The police have arrested the accused and the baby girl is undergoing treatment at a hospital."