Assam cop arrested for raping 15-year-old domestic help
A senior police official in Assam was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor who was employed as a domestic help in his home. Identified as Kiran Nath, the accused served as the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) at the Lachit Borphukan Police Academy in the state's Golaghat district. According to reports, the 15-year-old victim has accused Nath of repeated sexual abuse and physical harm, allegedly aided by his family members.
Accused booked under POSCO, IPC sections
After the victim's family filed a complaint, authorities initiated a case against Nath and subsequently arrested him based on evidence obtained during their investigation. The accused is being charged under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 376 (rape of a female under sixteen years) and 506 (criminal intimidation), along with Section 6 of the 2012 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. As part of their ongoing investigation, police have taken statements from both the victim and other witnesses.
Victim's statement and family's reaction
According to reports, the victim managed to flee from Nath's residence recently and returned to her home where she narrated the ordeal to her family. This led to them approaching the police to file a First Information Report (FIR) at Golaghat's Dergaon Police Station on Sunday. The accused allegedly forcibly confined the 15-year-old in his residence and tortured her. The victim also alleged that Nath repeatedly raped her in an unnatural manner.
Assam Police's zero tolerance policy to sexual misconduct
Confirming Nath's arrest, Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh underscored the police department's steadfast stand against sexual misconduct within its ranks. He reaffirmed that a zero tolerance policy is fundamental to Assam Police's principles. The victim also claimed that Nath's wife was involved in his actions by trying to cover up her husband's misdeeds. A family member of the girl expressed dismay over the wife for failing to oppose the sexual assault on a minor girl.
Child rape cases up by 96% between 2016 and 2022
Child rape cases registered a rise of 96% between 2016 and 2022, according to an analysis of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data by child rights NGO Child Rights And You (CRY). The analysis revealed a consistent rise in these rape incidents since 2016, except in 2020. Between 2021 and 2022, there was a rough 6.9% increase in such cases.