16-year-old girl tortured, raped by clergyman; arrested

Chinsurah (WB): A 16-year-old girl from Hooghly-based rehabilitation home for women was allegedly raped and tortured for a month by a clergyman, police said on Wednesday.

According to a complaint filed by an NGO at the local police station, the clergyman, belonging to 'Gurap Bhastara Christian Home' had been allegedly torturing and raping the minor for a month. The victim had been living in the Home for about a year.

The accused was arrested last night under Section 376 of the IPC, charging him with rape and torture, police said.

Police officers were on Wednesday sent to the Home to investigate the matter, Sub-divisional officer Sadar, Sudip Sarkar said.

The arrested clergyman was produced before a local court here, which remanded him to 14-days judicial custody. Meanwhile, the minor was shifted to a government-run home in the same district.

West Bengal Social Welfare Department officers visited the Home and spoke with the inmates and the victim.