Priest allegedly rapes 15-year old girl in Lakhimpur district

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: A heinous crime of a priest of a Shiva Mandir allegedly raping a teenager has come to light in the Lakhimpur district. The alleged rapist has been identified as Bhola Baruah, son of Kanak Baruah, resident of Na-mile Maut Gaon under Panigaon Police Station of the district. He was the self-styled priest of the Shiva Mandir located in the same village. He had been staying at the Shiva Mandir for the last 33 years.

Panigaon police arrested the self-styled priest on Tuesday evening as per complaint lodged by the mother of the victim regarding the issue and produced him before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) on Wednesday. The CJM court sent him to jail.

As per information from the Officer-in-charge of the Panigaon Police Station regarding the case, the 85 year-old priest allegedly raped the 15 year-old girl a few months back in the Shiva Mandir campus, which was quoted in the complaint filed by the victim's mother. The accused sent for the girl to the Shiva Mandir in order to do some cleaning work there. After allegedly raping the girl, the priest threatened her not to disclose anything to anyone.

At present, the girl is allegedly four months pregnant. The crime came into light when the neighbourhood women and her mother noticed the physical changes in her and inquired about it. Police managed to conduct a medical test of the girl on Wednesday, the Officer-in charge of the Panigaon Police Station informed.

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