A village Sarpanch was arrested for forcible abortion of the rape victim in Utai, Durg. The accused booked on rape charges in the case was arrested earlier while the accused Sarpanch was absconding for over two months. Sarpanch was identified as Paleshwar Thakur, a resident of Marra village of Utai. An offence was registered against the accused under Sections 376, 313 and 34 of IPC.

 

The police also slapped Sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Office Act. Accused arrested in case earlier on rape charge was identified as Omprakash Thakur (34), a resident of Marra. Bhupendra Ogre, Investigation Officer, Utai Police Station informed that the accused Paleshwar Thakur, booked for alleged forced abortion of the victim minor girl, was absconding since the offence was registered against him and on being tipped off on Wednesday a police team succeeded in laying hands on him after erecting barriers in Dundera village of Utai.

 

When queried whether criminal charges also established against medical practitioner IO, Ogre replied that that the charges and involvement of the medical practitioner in the case will be ascertained in course of further investigation and on basis of seeking opinions of expert qualified medical practitioner and facts. On January 2, the victim girl had alleged that the accused Omprakash sexually exploited her on pretext of marriage for over three years and later deserted her while refusing to marry her. It was also alleged that during April last year when she was pregnant Thakur, along with his nephew and the village Sarpanch Paleshwar Thakur, took her to a private hospital in Risali and got aborted the pregnancy forcibly.