Madhya Pradesh man kills 17-year-old rape victim after pressuring her to withdraw complaint

After being released on bail, he attempted to force her to withdraw the complaint and marry him, leading to her death during an altercation.

Updated on: May 9, 2026, 11:16:17 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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Bhopal : A 26-year-old rape accused was arrested on Friday in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district for allegedly killing the minor victim after being released on bail, police said.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) is an Indian law enacted in 2012 to protect children under 18 from sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography (Representative image/Pixabay)

The accused, Manoj Ahirwar, resident of Bhairopur in Sehore district, had been pressuring the 17-year-old girl to withdraw her complaint and marry him as his second wife, said officials.

According to police officers, Ahirwar had lured the girl with promises of a better life and later raped her.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that Ahirwar, already married, had lured the girl with promises of a better life and later raped her. The victim was rescued by police and subsequently a complaint of rape and abduction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was filed a year ago. Ahirwar was arrested but released on bail two months ago,” said Sheela Surana, sub-divisional officer of police (SDPO).

“On Thursday, he reached the victim’s home and again tried to force her to withdraw the case and marry him. When the girl and her mother resisted, he attacked them. The girl died on the spot, while her mother sustained injuries and was rushed to hospital,” Surana added.

Police said the accused was arrested from Bhopal on Friday.

“He confessed to the crime during interrogation, admitting he wanted the girl to live with him as his second wife,” said a senior police officer.

A case has been registered in the matter under Sections 103 (murder) and 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), said police, adding that further investigation is underway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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