UP constable arrested for rape, forced abortion in Varanasi

The accused, Prashant Rai, a resident of Mirzapur, was arrested on Monday following a complaint filed by the victim.

Varanasi: A constable assigned to provide security to Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman under the pretext of marriage and forcing her to undergo abortions, officials said on Tuesday, May 5.

The accused, Prashant Rai, a resident of Mirzapur, was arrested on Monday following a complaint filed by the victim.

The police officials confirmed that Rai is a constable posted in Ghazipur district.

Sarnath Station House Officer (SHO) Pankaj Kumar Tripathi said the survivor, a resident of the Sarnath police station area, alleged that Rai had been sexually exploiting her for the past four years.

According to the complaint, the constable lived in a rented room in the Benipur locality of Sarnath, where he entered into a relationship with the woman four years ago after promising to marry her.

“The victim stated that she began living with the accused two years ago. During this period, she became pregnant twice, and both times Rai allegedly forced her to undergo abortions,” SHO Tripathi said.

The matter came to light after the woman discovered that Rai had clandestinely married another woman in April this year, despite his long-standing commitment to her.

For the past two years, he had been deployed in the escort detail of Rajbhar.

Further legal proceedings are underway, the SHO added.