India: Dalit minor's rape in UP's Noida

Noida (UP), Jan 31 (PTI) A farm owner was arrested in Greater Noida for allegedly raping and assaulting a 12-year-old Dalit girl, who was taken there by her maternal aunt for work, police said on Sunday.

The aunt, who works at the farm and had taken the girl there with a bad intention, has also been arrested as a co-conspirator in the case that took place in Dankaur police station area on Saturday, officials said.

"The accused have been booked on charges of rape, assault, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy. Provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST Act have also been invoked against the man, a police spokesperson said.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Women and Child Safety) Vrinda Shukla, the girl had gone to visit her relatives.

The girl's maternal aunt took her to a farmland with wrong intentions where she handed the minor over to the man known to her and then herself vanished from the spot, the officer said.

"This man assaulted and raped the girl. Later he threatened to kill the minor if she spoke about the incident to anyone, DCP Shukla said.

An FIR was lodged in the case on a complaint lodged by the elder brother of the girl after which multiple police teams were formed to arrest the accused, both of whom were at large, the police said.