Palghar: Man held for raping minor girl on pretext of marriage

A 19-year-old man was detained in Maharashtra's Palghar district for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl after promising to marry her. The girl became pregnant after the man raped her repeatedly, the official from Vikramgad police station said.

The victim and the accused were neighbours at a village in Vikramgad area. The accused allegedly raped her on the pretext of marriage, he said. During a medical examination recently, the girl was found to be four months’ pregnant following which her parents filed a police complaint against the man on Monday, the official said.

Based on the complaint, the accused was arrested and a case registered against him under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said. The identity of the accused has so far not been revealed by the police.