Farmer held for 'raping minor girl, setting part of her home ablaze'

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A 35-year-old farmer was arrested for raping a four-year-girl in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday.

The accused offered the girl's parents Rs 200 for not filing a police complaint, but when they refused, he set the girl's house on fire, a report in The Indian Express read.

It said the girl was initially taken to the local Community Health Centre and later shifted to the district hospital.

Dharamdas Siddharth, Station House Officer of Hyderabad police station said on Sunday night, the accused lured the girl with a candy and took her to a nearby area. He was in an inebriated state and he raped the girl and fled the spot, leaving her injured. He said the girl somehow managed to walk back to her house."She was rushed to the local Community Health Centre from where she was referred to the district hospital," Siddharth added.

He said when the girl's parents got to know that the accused was seen taking her, they filed a complaint with the police. "When the accused got to know this, he offered Rs 200 to the family to settle the matter. When the family members refused the offer, he set a portion of the victim's house on fire using kerosene oil. The fire was immediately doused by the local residents. The accused, meanwhile, was caught by the people and was later arrested by the police," Siddharth was quoted as saying in the report.

A first information report (FIR) has been registered under sections 376 (rape) and 436 (mischief) of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

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