UP cop held for raping pregnant woman

Police arrested a head constable on Friday for allegedly raping a pregnant woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district on Thursday night, officials said.

Police arrested a head constable on Friday for allegedly raping a pregnant woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district on Thursday night, officials said.

Another constable allegedly involved in the crime at Hilwari village, around 50 km from here, is absconding.

The incident took place just over two months after two constables were arrested for gang raping a minor in Badaun district of the state which has one of the worst records in women’s safety in the country.

The head constable, identified as Harendra Singh, was remanded in judicial custody for two weeks by a local court, said Sharad Sachan, the Baghpat superintendent of police.

“The head constable…has been suspended and a case under relevant sections of the IPC has been registered against him,” Sachan added.

Police officials investigating the case said the accused had entered the house of the woman when her husband was not present and forced himself on her.

However, her husband returned and raised a hue and cry on finding the police personnel in his house.

Police said quoting villagers that the absconding constable had accompanied the accused but it was not clear if he too had sexually assaulted the woman.

Villagers said they managed to catch the head constable but the other policeman managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

The SP, however, denied involvement of the constable on the basis of a statement of the head constable.

“He has admitted to his crime and told police that he had gone there alone,” said the SP.

The villagers have struck to their version and accused police of trying to shield the constable.