Man held in Uttar Pradesh for raping minor, forcing conversion

Ballia (Uttar Pradesh): A 22-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl, making obscene videos of her and attempting to pressurize the minor into religious conversion for marriage.

The accused and his father were arrested on Tuesday while they were attempting to flee. The man has been charged with rape and unlawful religious conversion and besides being slapped with sections of the POCSO Act.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Vipin Tada said: "The Muslim youth, on January 11, entered the house of a 14-year-old girl and raped her. After this, he made a clip, and exerted pressure on the girl by showing the video clip.

"The girl, on January 13, narrated the incident to her parents. Since the accused were influential, the family members of the girl could not muster courage to lodge a complaint."

Finally , the case was registered on Monday following a complaint by the father of the victim, he said.

"The Muslim youth and his father were arrested on Tuesday from near a railway station while they were trying to escape. Both were produced before a local court, which sent them to jail," the SP said.

Station House Officer of the Kotwali police station Vipin Singh said the family members of the accused allegedly threatened the girl to convert for 'nikaah' (marriage).

Charges under the anti-religious conversion legislation have also been pressed against the accused persons.