Cop arrested for assaulting minor rape survivor in Karnataka

The Karnataka Police have arrested a constable, who allegedly raped a minor girl, a rape survivor, after promising to marry her in Dakshina Kannada district, police sources said on Wednesday.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Rishikesh Bhagawan Sonawane said the accused constable Shivaraj has been taken into custody. "The accused will be terminated from the service. The police department will never take his side," he said.

The jurisdictional Kadaba police are investigating the case and have registered cases under IPC Section 376 (2) (Being a police officer, public servant, takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman), 506 (criminal intimidation), 5 (A), 5 (J) (ii)6 of Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act 2012.

Considering the seriousness of the case, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Devajyothi Ray, SP Rishikesh Bhagawan Sonawane, DySP Dr Gaana, Additional SP Shivakumar Gunare visited the Kadaba police station on Tuesday.

Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) visited the police station and demanded that strict action should be initiated against the police officer and the department should not protect the accused constable. They said it was a shameful act and have also warned of staging a protest in case of negligence by the police.

As per the reports, the accused constable had met the minor girl when she had lodged a case of rape two years ago in the Kadaba police station. The accused misusing his power used to interact with the minor girl regarding the case. He visited her house on the pretext of issuing summons and developed a friendship with the girl.

The accused had promised the rape victim that he would marry her and sexually exploited her. When the girl became five-and-a-half months pregnant, parents came to know about it and questioned the accused.

The accused flatly refused to marry the girl. In turn, he told her parents to get the abortion done and he would give the money.

The incident came to light when the father of the victim lodged a complaint with the police in this regard. He also mentioned that the accused had kept his daughter and wife in an undisclosed location and they have not returned home.

The police said the accused constable had made a digital transfer of Rs 35,000 to them and they got the abortion done. The police have traced the victim and her mother. The investigation is on.