Rape accused, father arrested in UP’s Ballia

Among other charges, the two men have also been booked under sections of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance

A youth accused of raping a 14-year-old minor girl in Ballia, about 160 m northeast of Varanasi, was arrested on Tuesday, police said. The father of the accused was also arrested for allegedly feigning ignorance about his son’s act and subsequently pressurising the victim to opt for religious conversion.

The hands of two men, who customs authorities say imported 8 million pesos ($162,500) worth of illegal drugs, are seen in handcuffs as they are presented to reporters at the Bureau of Customs in Pasay city, Metro Manila, Philippines November 14, 2016. REUTERS/Ezra Acayan (REUTERS)

A relative of the victim alleged that one Abdul Rahman aka Golu, 22, had raped the girl when she was alone at her house on January 11 and also filmed the act. The following day, the accused allegedly blackmailed the victim into having physical relations by threatening to upload the video clip on social media if she didn’t agree, police said.

According to the police the girl told her parents about the incident a few days ago after which they filed a complaint against Abdul as well as his father Mohammad Kalim on January 25.

The survivor’s parents alleged that the father of the accused tried to save his son and also tried to convert their daughter.

In his complaint, the father of the girl alleged that when they requested Kalim to ask his son (accused) to delete the video clip, he reportedly told him that his son would marry the girl after her religious conversion.

“He has also been booked along with his father under section 3 and 5 of Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance. Both the accused were arrested while trying to escape," Kumar said.