MAN KILLED OVER RELATIONSHIP WITH ACCUSED'S SISTER

Another still missing; accused, a self-proclaimed priest, in police custody

- HT Correspondent

MEERUT: A 16-year-old girl from Uttarakhand's Rishikesh was allegedly held hostage and raped for a month by a man who claimed to be a temple priest, in Bareilly. While the minor had been rescued, the accused was also suspected of having abducted another girl, who was said to be a 13-year-old relative of the rescued girl, police said.

The case came to light after the 16-year-old's family members approached Bareilly senior superintendent of police Anurag Arya on Wednesday. A case in connection with the incident was lodged in Uttarakhand.

Meanwhile, the accused had been taken into police custody and was being questioned, the police added. The complaint lodged by them reportedly stated that the 16-year-old, a Class 10th student, got in touch with the priest through social media four years ago. The priest, a resident of the Bhamaura police station area, befriended the girl, exchanged contact details, and began visiting her in Rishikesh, it said. It further stated that he lured her with the promise of marriage, raped her multiple times, and recorded obscene videos to blackmail her. On April 13, the accused allegedly summoned the girl to Bareilly.