Dalit Woman Raped In UP, 1 Arrested; Police Case Against Cleric: Cops

A man has been arrested and a cleric booked for allegedly raping a Dalit woman here by through impersonation, an officer said on Sunday.

Puranpur Police Station SHO Rajiv Sharma said, “The woman reported the incident on Saturday, claiming that she was raped multiple occasions by one Firdaus and once by Hafiz Noor Ahmed.” Some members of a local right wing Hindu group caught the woman and Firdaus on the way to a hotel and handed them over to police.

The woman told police that Firdaus had forced her to go to the hotel with him.

Firdaus, who posed as a Hindu Dalit, gained the woman’s trust and exploited her, police said quoting the complaint.

The woman alleged that Firdaus once took her to one cleric, Hafiz Noor Ahmed, who raped her under the pretence of exorcising a spirit.

She also accused Firdaus of recording the incident and threatening to upload the video online.

Police arrested Firdaus on Sunday and efforts are on to arrest Noor Ahmed, said the SHO.