Lucknow: Police in Lucknow arrested an 18-year-old youth from Rae Bareli a day after registering a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act over allegations that he raped a 17-year-old girl he had befriended on social media.The accused, identified as Hemant Kumar, a resident of Ahia Raipur Kuriyana in Rae Bareli district, was arrested by Naka Hindola police on Saturday from outside the Charbagh bus terminal. He was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.According to police, the FIR was registered on July 18 at Naka Hindola police station on a complaint filed by the victim’s father. The case has been booked under Section 64(1) of the BNS and Sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act.In the complaint, the father alleged that his daughter came into contact with Hemant through Snapchat in March. The family, originally from Rae Bareli and currently living in Lucknow’s Bhadeva area, stated that the accused developed a friendship online and later persuaded the teenager to meet him in the Charbagh area.The complainant alleged that Hemant took the girl to a hotel in Charbagh, where he forcibly raped her. The FIR also alleged that the accused threatened the girl and warned her not to disclose the incident, following which she remained silent for months.The alleged offence came to light after the girl’s elder sister grew suspicious and questioned her, after which the teenager reportedly shared the details with family members. The family subsequently learnt that she was about four months pregnant, the complaint said.Police said the family tried repeatedly to contact the accused, but he allegedly stopped responding and blocked their phone numbers.After the case was registered, a team led by Naka Hindola SHO Vivek Kumar Chaudhary began searching for the accused. Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested him near the bus terminal on Saturday.Police said further investigation is underway, and legal proceedings are being carried out under relevant provisions of the BNS and the POCSO Act.
