Pilibhit Man Arrested for Attempted Rape After Stalking and Field Attack
In a disturbing incident from Pilibhit, a 24-year-old man was arrested on Monday for allegedly attempting to rape a 22-year-old woman. The attack occurred on the evening of February 18, as the survivor was returning home. According to police reports, the accused, who resides in the same village as the survivor, had been stalking her before forcibly dragging her into a nearby sugarcane field.
Violent Confrontation and Rescue by Passers-By
The survivor was accompanied by her sister-in-law at the time of the incident. When the sister-in-law tried to intervene and protect the woman, she was brutally beaten by the accused. The situation escalated until the survivor managed to raise an alarm, alerting passers-by who rushed to the scene. Their timely intervention led to her rescue, allowing the accused to flee the area temporarily.
Following the attack, the survivor informed her husband about the traumatic event. Together, they decided to report the incident to the police. However, their attempt to file a First Information Report (FIR) was met with further violence. The accused, along with his three brothers and a relative, allegedly attacked the couple at the police station, compounding their ordeal.
Delayed Police Complaint Due to Threats and Intimidation
The survivor revealed that despite the incident occurring in February, she and her family could not approach the police immediately. They faced severe threats from the accused and his relatives, who warned them of serious consequences if they pursued legal action. This climate of fear and intimidation delayed the filing of the FIR, highlighting the challenges victims often face in seeking justice.
Bisalpur Kotwali Station House Officer Sanjeev Kumar Shukla provided details on the legal actions taken. The main accused and four of his relatives have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include:
- Section 74: Assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty
- Section 126(2): Wrongful restraint
- Section 191(2): Rioting
- Section 115(2): Voluntarily causing hurt
- Section 351(3): Criminal intimidation
This case underscores the urgent need for robust support systems for survivors of gender-based violence, ensuring they can report crimes without fear of retaliation. The arrest marks a step toward accountability, but it also raises questions about community safety and police responsiveness in rural areas.
