The police arrested a 65-year old man for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl at Misrod locality of Bhopal on Wednesday.
The accused allegedly raped her thrice in 2015 but the incident came to light only when the girl became pregnant, the police said.
The minor, a resident of Jatkhedi village who lived with her mother and brother, was alone on July 5, 2015 when the accused Chhotelal Kalhar -- who worked as a security guard at nearby RKDF College -- entered the house and raped her.
The accused was a neighbour of the girl. He allegedly threatened the minor with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident to anyone.
The guard again raped her twice, the police said, adding that she narrated her ordeal to her mother when she was four months pregnant.
As the girl did not know the name of the accused, her mother was hesitant to file a complaint.
However, when the girl’s pregnancy reached the eighth month, a local NGO came forward and informed the police about it.
“After the NGO informed us about the incident, we urged the victim and her mother to lodge a complaint against the accused. As both the victim and her mother were unaware of the name of the accused, we took them to the nearby areas to identify the suspect. On the day of Mahashivratri this year (March 7), the girl identified the accused at a function and informed her mother,” said Kunwar Singh Mukati, town inspector in Misrod.
{{/usCountry}}“After the NGO informed us about the incident, we urged the victim and her mother to lodge a complaint against the accused. As both the victim and her mother were unaware of the name of the accused, we took them to the nearby areas to identify the suspect. On the day of Mahashivratri this year (March 7), the girl identified the accused at a function and informed her mother,” said Kunwar Singh Mukati, town inspector in Misrod.
{{/usCountry}}“The mother of the victim informed the police on Tuesday after which it arrested the accused after an intense manhunt on Wednesday,” added Mukati.
The police have registered a case against the accused under relevant sections of IPC and POCSO Act and presented him before the court on Wednesday.