NGO official held for raping minor blind girl

DEHRADUN: A 62-year-old man, general secretary of an NGO running a residential school for blind children in Haldwani, Nainital district, was arrested for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl student at the institute, police said on Saturday.

He was arrested on Friday night following an initial probe based on a letter sent by three blind girls of the school to Nainital SSP a few days ago. The Kathgodam police station was directed to investigate it.

Kathgodam police station SHO, Pramod Pathak, said, "The accused was booked on charges of raping a minor girl below 16 years of age, intentional insult and using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman under sections 376(3)(d)(l), 504 and 354 of IPC along with relevant sections of the Pocso Act." He added: "He was produced before a local court on Saturday and sent to jail. The statements of the survivor were recorded before the court. We're speaking to other students at the school to ascertain if there are any other cases."