21 hours ago
Man abducts, rapes 15-yr-old girl with promise of marriage
Rajkot: A 15-year-old girl studying at a boarding school in Junagadh was allegedly abducted and raped by a man from Botad, who lured her with a promise of marriage. The accused, originally from Derala village in Botad and currently residing in Surat, is absconding.
The incident came to light after the girl's 65-year-old grandmother filed a complaint at the Junagadh City B Division police station. The accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
According to the complaint, the girl had been living in a hostel run by an NGO for the past three years due to the family's financial difficulties.
Her grandmother became her guardian after the death of the girl's father in 2019 and her mother's subsequent elopement.
Earlier this year, the grandmother's daughter suggested arranging the girl's marriage and introduced her to the accused in Feb. Despite objections, the girl stayed in contact with him and reportedly visited him in April.
On May 28, the girl went missing while accompanying her grandmother to a medical store. She was later found and disclosed her intimate relationship with the accused, who had promised to marry her.
Investigation officer Aniruddhsinh Gohil confirmed that efforts are underway to trace the accused. "Multiple police teams have been formed to locate and apprehend the accused," he said.
