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The police in Telangana’s Nirmal district have launched a manhunt for ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader and vice chairman of Nirmal municipality Sheik Sajid Khan, who allegedly raped 15-year-old minor girl a few days ago.
“We booked a case under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act on Sunday. The accused has been absconding since then. We have formed four special teams to search for him and we shall arrest him at the earliest,” Nirmal deputy superintendent of police D Upender Reddy said.
The TRS on Monday announced that Khan was expelled from the primary membership of the party for his alleged sexual assault on the minor girl.
The incident came to light when the parents of the girl, a Class 8 student, lodged a complaint with the “childline,” an NGO working against child trafficking and child abuse, which in turn informed the police on Saturday.
According to the police, Khan, who noticed the girl at a function in Nirmal town a few days ago, took the help of a woman who happens to be the owner of the house where the girl’s family resides. The woman took the girl along with her to Hyderabad in a car on the pretext of attending a family function.
“Instead of taking her to the function, the woman took the girl to a hotel in the old city, where Khan raped her. Later, the girl was taken to different places in the city, where she was repeatedly assaulted sexually. Later, the house owner brought the girl back to Nirmal and warned her of dire consequences, if she complained to the police,” Reddy said, quoting the girl.
On Saturday, the girl told the parents about the sexual offence against her and they immediately brought it to the notice of the NGO and later to the police. “We have also booked a case against the house owner and car driver, who assisted Khan in the offence. They were taken into custody on Sunday itself for questioning,” the DSP said, adding that the girl was sent to Nirmal government hospital for medical examination.
The incident evoked strong protests from women groups and the opposition parties in Nirmal town. Bharatiya Janata Party workers staged a protest demonstration in front of the Nirmal Municipality and demanded that Khan be stripped of the post immediately. They entered into an altercation with the TRS workers and the officials.
State endowments minister A Indrakaran Reddy, who represents Nirmal assembly constituency, said Khan was expelled from the party and his primary membership had been terminated, following the incident.
“Nobody will be spared if he is involved in such offences that will bring disrepute to the party. The government will take all steps to ensure justice to the victim,” the minister said.
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