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AAP leader among 3 held over minor’s allegation of sexual assault, beating in Amritsar
The two other accused are victim’s mother and her alleged lover whose identification is being withheld to protect identity of the victim girl. Bal is accused of thrashing the girl
Police have arrested three persons, including an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader belonging to the Majitha block, in connection with a case registered for sexual assault and thrashing of a minor girl. The accused leader has been identified as Pritpal Singh Bal.
The two other accused are the victim’s mother and her alleged lover. Their identification is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim girl. According to police, Bal is accused of thrashing the victim girl, when she had complained to him about her mother’s lover, who allegedly assaulted her sexually several times. As per the victims’ complaint, Bal used to visit the accused’s home.
The 15-year-old had lodged her complaint to the Majitha police station. She said her mother and father got separated a year ago. “My mother took me along with her to her illicit lover’s home in Majitha. She gave birth to a son with her lover. My mother’s lover had ill-intentions about me. A few days ago, he started making sexual advances towards me. I also complained about his advances to Bal. But, instead of stopping the accused, Bal thrashed me. My mother also supported her lover against me. I somehow managed to come back to my father’s home and got courage to tell him about my ordeal,” the victim told police.
Police have registered a case under Sections 354 (assault), 506 (criminal intimidation), 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Sections (8 and 17) of the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against the accused. One more accused booked in the case is absconding. Bal and the other two accused were sent to judicial custody on Thursday.
