Uttar Pradesh: Stillborn’s DNA to give police clue about her mom’s rapist in Rampur

BAREILLY: Police in Rampur district on Wednesday exhumed the body of a stillborn baby, whose DNA will now help them ascertain if an accused was indeed the rapist of the minor Dalit girl, who suffered the miscarriage two days ago.
The family members of the girl, 16, with learning difficulties had accused the man, 20 -- her cousin and a neighbour -- of raping her repeatedly.They claimed that after the stillbirth, they showed the girl photographs of some people they suspected may have raped her and she repeatedly pointed toward the man.
Police said that the DNA test of the accused, who is currently absconding, will also be conducted once he is caught. Further action will be taken on the basis of the reports, a police officer said.
After the family’s complaint, police had booked the man under IPC section 376 (punishment for rape) and under the POCSO Act.
Station house officer (SHO) of Azim Nagar police station, Ravindra Kumar, said, “As of now, the accused is at large and efforts are underway to apprehend him. Given the girl’s mental condition, we cannot rely on her statement. So we are conducting the DNA tests. The sample of the baby, whose body was exhumed, has been collected.”
The rape survivor had given birth to the seven-month old stillborn baby girl two days ago.
The family claimed that they didn’t know about her pregnancy. They came to know about it only after the girl started complaining of severe stomach pain on Saturday night, following which she gave birth to the stillborn baby at home.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)