3 held for raping, impregnating mentally challenged minor in Baramulla

Srinagar, Jun 5: Three persons including a resident of Bihar have been arrested for allegedly raping a minor repeatedly in the Baramulla district, police said on Thursday. The breakthrough came after police used DNA profiling of the rape victim's foetus to establish the identity of the perpetrators.

An official spokesman said police in Baramulla have achieved a critical breakthrough in the investigation of a sexual assault case involving a mentally challenged minor girl. It resulted in the identification and arrest of three accused persons through sustained forensic and investigative efforts, he said. On receiving information in January, the Kunzer police station registered a case under relevant sections of the POCSO Act, 2012 and BNS after a 16-year-old girl was found to be 25 weeks pregnant during a medical examination at a hospital in Magam area of the north Kashmir district, the spokesman said.

Initial inquiries led to the arrest of Mohammad RafiqBhat, a resident of Dhobiwan, and Mohammad Nasarullah Khan, a resident of the HayhamaLolab area of Kupwara, for rape, aggravated sexual assault and kidnapping under POCSO provisions, he said. However, DNA analysis excluded both of them as the father, the spokesman said.

Through persistent efforts, investigators focused on JawadAlam, a resident of the Champaran area of Bihar, as a prime suspect, the spokesman added. Forensic matching confirmed his DNA matched the foetus, establishing him as the biological father and confirming his role in the sexual assault leading to the pregnancy, he said.  The investigations confirmed all three accused independently assaulted the victim on multiple occasions, with Alam responsible for the conception, the spokesman said.