Rapist held after minor victim commits suicide

A man accused of raping a minor girl was arrested here on Thursday after the victim committed suicide by setting herself on fire, police said.

Amit, 19, a contract worker in a private company, was arrested from his hideout here.

The 14-year-old, class 9 student was allegedly raped by Amit, who also lived in her neighbourhood here on May 6 and committed suicide in her house two days later.

"The girl locked herself in the room, poured petrol and set herself on fire," Sushila, a police officer, told IANS.

She was admitted to the government-run Badshah Khan Hospital here with nearly 90 per cent burns, and later shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where she succumbed to her injuries, the police officer added.

The accused was booked under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act at women police station.

"He was presented before a court which remanded him to 14 days judicial custody," the police officer said.

--IANS

pradeep/pgh/vd