Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Apr 19: The police nabbed a local religious leader for allegedly kidnapping and committing rape on a minor girl hailing from Jallian village in Mandi block of Poonch district and booked his five other associates including a teacher and Junior Engineer on the same charge.
The police identified the accused religious leader as Mohammed Farid (44), son of Mohd Hafiz, resident of Arai village in Mandi. He along with four associates kidnapped 17-year-old girl Shaheen (name changed) from Jallian village about 20 days back and took her to remote area in Budhal of district Rajouri. They kept on changing location and sexually assaulted the girl repeatedly.
After conducting series of raids at different places, the police party led by Probationer DSP, Dr Hilal, officiating as SHO Mandi, nabbed Farid from Budhal area. He was surrounded by some people and offering them `Tabeez’ when police party reached there the other day.
The accused was grilled by the police party and on his disclosure, the girl was rescued from another location in the same area. However, associates of the prime accused, have gone underground. The police was raiding their hideouts.
They were identified as JE Mohd Asadullah, son of Ghulam Mohiuddin from Kunda- Azmabad, Teacher Abdul Rehman, son of Abdul Ahad from Kunda peon of Govt Hr Sec School Mandi Mohd Ahram Khan, son of Mohd Yousuf of Azmabad, Mohd Aslam Malik of Arai and Bashir Ahmed, son of Ali Akbar of Sagra in Mendhar.
The police said that a case FIR No. 15/ 2014 U/S 366/376/109 RPC has been registered against the accused persons. The girl was sent for Medical examination and later handed over to the family. Her statement was recorded by the Magistrate/ judge under Section 164. She narrated the whole episode and claimed that she was gang-rapped. She first fell victim to Farid who being handicapped, sought help of his associates to commit sexual assaults on her. She said that Farid called her outside at the village and then with the help of others packed her in a car and took her to some unknown place and kept her in illegal confinement.
There was strong resentment in the area against this while police was said to be under intense pressure from certain quarters to hush up the case.
Reports said that this `so called’ religious leader of the area had connections with top Army and Police officers of the area. He was even sent as Group leader on Sadbhavana tour by the Army. He used to influence local villagers by showing his photographs with President of India, top police officers including DIGs/ SSPs/SPs, local Army commanders/ officers etc. He had the honour of being special guest in many Army and Police functions on several occasions. How he developed relations at the top only he knows well. The police team was working on all the angles. It was also learnt that there was intense pressure on investigating team to free this religious leader. Even when he was being brought from Budhal to Mandi, some people in Gypsy laid naka en-route and tried to get him free. It is expected that after his thorough interrogation, some sensational revelations would come out. The police alleged that the role of this accused is also being ascertained in the mysterious missing of a young girl from Budhal area several months back.
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