Cleric held for rape of minor girl in mosque

The girl went to the mosque and was allegedly lured by the cleric. He forced himself on her, the officer said.

A 48-year-old cleric of a mosque in northeast Delhi’s Harsh Vihar was arrested from Loni near Ghaziabad on Monday for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl, who had gone to fetch water from the religious establishment on May 30, police said on Tuesday.

People protest against rape culture in India. (Biplov Bhuyan/ Hindustan Times File Photo)

A police officer associated with the case said on the night of May 30, her family members asked her to fetch water from the mosque as they did not have drinking water at home. The girl went to the mosque and was allegedly lured by the cleric. He forced himself on her, the officer said. “The girl returned home and told everything to her family members when they asked her why she came late. The family, along with some neighbours, went to the mosque to confront the cleric. Seeing them, the suspect fled through the rear door,” the officer said.

Police said the agitated locals gathered at the mosque and informed the local police about the matter. Police personnel were deployed to pacify the angry people and maintain law and order in the neighbourhood. The girl was counselled and her medical examination was conducted.

A case of rape was registered under the relevant sections of Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act was registered. Through technical investigation and human intelligence network, the suspect’s location was found in Loni. A team was sent there and the cleric, identified as Iliyas, was arrested, the officer said.