Firozabad cleric held after encounter in 14yo’s rape case

Agra: Firozabad police on Wednesday arrested a 45-year-old imam after an encounter in connection with the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl inside a mosque. The accused sustained a bullet injury to his leg during the exchange of fire and was admitted to the district hospital under police custody.Police said the girl studied Urdu at a madrassa operating inside the mosque premises. The incident occurred on June 7, when the minor visited the mosque to retrieve drinking water from a cooler on the premises. Police alleged that the imam dragged the girl into a room after noticing she was alone, sexually assaulted her and later threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident.Based on a complaint filed by the girl’s mother, an FIR was registered under BNS sections related to rape, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation, along with relevant provisions of the Pocso Act.The accused had allegedly been absconding since the incident. Acting on a tip-off on Wednesday, a police team launched a search operation after receiving information that he was planning to flee the area. Police said that when officers attempted to intercept him, the accused allegedly opened fire at the police team using an illegal .315 bore country-made pistol.“In retaliatory firing carried out in self-defence, he was hit in the leg and overpowered. Police recovered a .315 bore country-made firearm, two used cartridges and two live cartridges from his possession. A separate case under the Arms Act and relevant BNS provisions has also been registered against him for firing at the police team,” SP City Ravi Shanker Prasad said.