Man arrested for raping minor neighbour in Bengal

A 40-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping his minor neighbour at Nadia district of West Bengal, a police officer said.

The accused, a worker at a local factory, was taken into custody yesterday after the 14-year-old girl, who lives with her blind parents at Baigachhi village of the district, filed a complaint, he said.

The girl's parents begs at railway platforms and train compartments to make ends meet, the officer said.

"In the FIR, the teenager alleged that her neighbour had taken her to a nearby brick field on August 1 and raped her. The accused then threatened the girl with dire consequences if she disclosed the matter to anyone. Out of fear, the girl chose to keep the matter to herself," he said.

Yesterday, however, when the accused attempted to rape her again at her home, her parents came to her rescue, the officer said quoting the FIR.

"The girl, along with her parents and neighbours, approached the police yesterday and filed a complaint. Accordingly, we arrested the man and slapped charges on him under relevant sections of the POCSO Act," he added.