Two coaching center teachers held after minor NEET aspirant raped, held captive for 6 months in Kanpur

Two teachers of a coaching institute in Kanpur were arrested on Nov 9 for allegedly raping a minor girl and holding her captive for several months after she enrolled for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) coaching to seek admission to undergraduate medical education classes in 2022.

While the case dates back to January 2023 when the victim was 17-year-old, the First Information Report (FIR) was filed at a Kanpur police station on Nov 8.

In her complaint, the victim said she had been struggling with depression since she was sexually assaulted and held captive for months, but, a few days ago, she mustered the courage to file a case after she saw a video of one of the accused being arrested for allegedly harassing another student.

Additional Commissioner of Police, Kanpur, Harish Chander was quoted as saying the accused were produced before a court on Nov 9, which sent them to judicial custody for 14 days.

A medical examination of the victim was conducted, and her statement before a magistrate will be recorded on Nov 11, sources were quoted as saying.

Police have filed a case under IPC Sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison etc with intent to commit an offence), 376 (rape), 344 (wrongful confinement for ten or more days) and 506 (criminal intimidation), as well as provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

According to the complaint, one of the accused invited the victim to a party in January 2023, saying all the students had been invited. When she arrived at the apartment, she found that there were no other students.

The victim alleged that the accused gave her a drink laced with a sedative, and then raped her and filmed the act. She alleged that one of the accused held her captive for about six months, forced her to consume drugs and liqor, and raped her on several occasions. The victim told police that the accused also allegedly blackmailed her, threatening to circulate her videos and photographs on social media.

In her complaint, the victim said she was not allowed to leave the apartment or attend coaching classes for months. The accused hosted a Holi party later, where the other accused also allegedly raped her.

She also told police that when she went home later, the accused called her up and threatened to kill her parents if she didn’t return.

After the NEET results were announced earlier this year and she didn’t make it, she asked her mother to take her home, police said.

In September, one of the accused was arrested for allegedly molesting another student. While he was released on bail, a closure report was filed later after the victim denied the harassment allegations.

According to police, a case was filed by the coaching institute staff, alleging that an unidentified person had sent a pen drive containing a video clip showing the accused allegedly molesting a girl inside a washroom of the institute.

The police registered a case on charges of molestation and other offences in September, following which he was arrested.

“During the investigation, the coaching staff could not confirm the source of the video. Also, the girl seen in the video denied in her statement before the magistrate that he had molested her. Following no evidence, we filed a closure report in the case,” a police officer was quoted as saying.