Cleric rapes teen, coerces survivor’sbrother to sexually abuse her: Cops

The cleric forced the survivor’s brother to physically and sexually assault her, after convincing him that she was possessed and needed special rituals

A 41-year-old Muslim cleric has been arrested for raping a 17-year-old girl, and forcing her 23-year-old brother to physically and sexually assault her, after convincing him that she was possessed and needed special rituals, in Chitradurga district, police said, adding that the girl’s brother was also held.

The cleric allegedly convinced the girl and her family that she was possessed and required special rituals to be performed at her house. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to police, the girl used to visit a local mosque to study the Quran for the past three years. The cleric, identified as Abdul Rahman, allegedly convinced the girl and her family that she was possessed and required special rituals to be performed at her house.

For six to seven months, the cleric visited the girl’s house weekly.

The cleric used to take the girl and her brother in a room, instructing the mother to remain outside. The cleric further persuaded the girl’s brother that inflicting physical harm on the girl would bring her peace, police said.

Later, the cleric reportedly instigated the brother to rape her sister, while he recorded the act.

The cleric, police said, also raped the teenager.

The incident came to the fore after the girl was hospitalised following severe stomach ache. After knowing about the assault, the girl’s mother filed a complaint against the cleric and her son at the Chitradurga Women’s Police Station.

Chitradurga deputy superintendent of police (SP) B Dinakar said, “We arrested cleric Abdul Rahman and the brother on Sunday. They have been booked under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Peal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) and produced before the JMFC court, which remanded them in judicial custody for 14 days.”