A woman in Haryana's Nuh district was allegedly gang-raped after she was lured to a cleric's hideout on the pretext of treating her young child, police said. Five men, including the cleric, have been arrested in connection with the case.
Lured to the cleric's den on the pretext of a cure
According to the complaint filed with police, the woman had gone to a maulvi in Mathepur village of Palwal district seeking treatment for her child. She alleged that the cleric told her that her child was under the shadow of an "evil spirit" and asked her to come the following day to his hideout in Khori village in the Tauru area of Nuh district for the treatment. She said that once she arrived there, she was told the treatment could only be carried out after sunset. While she waited, she was given a drink, after which she lost consciousness.
Woke up locked inside a room
The woman alleged that when she regained consciousness, she found herself locked inside a room. She claimed the maulvi and the other men involved held her captive there and gang-raped her.
Threatened with her child's murder to stay silent
Per the complaint, the accused threatened to kill her child if she spoke up, forcing her into silence. The woman told police she was then moved between several locations, her mobile SIM card was destroyed, and she was not allowed any contact with her family, cutting her off from any chance of raising an alarm.
Escaped with her child on the night of June 23
The woman said that on the night of June 23, she found a chance to flee the accused's clutches along with her child and reached home, where she narrated the entire ordeal to her family, who then approached the police. She alleged, "The accused circulated my obscene photos and videos on social media and kept threatening me."
All five held, investigation underway
Based on her complaint, police registered a case and arrested all five accused, including the maulvi. Rajesh Kumar, the in-charge of Sadar Tauru police station, said the matter is being investigated further.
