Teacher accused of raping minor student; booked

Mehsana: A teacher was today booked for allegedly raping a 16-year-old Dalit girl after assuring her good grades in Class X board exams, police said.

Visnagar police of Mehsana district lodged an FIR on the basis of the complaint filed by the girl, who accused her tuition teacher Rajesh Patel of repeatedly raping her for several months when she was in X standard last year.

“Patel teaches in the same school near Visnagar where the girl studies in Standard XI right now. When she was in 10th standard, she used take tuitions from Patel at his home. The girl alleged that Patel first asked for her photo and then forced her to be friends with him,” said Visnagar taluka police inspector P K Rana.

In the FIR, the girl alleged that she was raped for almost 10-12 times by Patel last year.

“The girl alleged that Patel trapped her by promising her good marks in the previous year’s board exam. Since the girl is a Dalit and a minor, we have lodged a case under rape as well as under various sections of POCSO Act,” said Rana, adding Patel is yet to be arrested.