UP woman held ‘captive’ for 5 years, raped by Army jawan; accused arrested

LUCKNOW: A 28-year-old married woman has accused a man of abducting her from outside her parental home in Lucknow, keeping her captive for nearly five years, and repeatedly sexually assaulting her at different locations across Uttar Pradesh.

Police have registered a case at Sarojininagar police station and arrested the main accused.

According to the FIR lodged by victim woman, she had come to her parental home in March 2021. She alleged that one night between 10 pm and 11 pm, Manzoor Ali, son of Sabir Ali and a resident of Mahangukheda village in Kheri district, allegedly rendered her unconscious by making her inhale an intoxicating substance and abducted her from outside her house.

The complainant alleged that after the abduction, Manzoor Ali kept her confined and subjected her to repeated sexual exploitation.

She claimed that he frequently shifted her from one place to another and prevented her from contacting anyone.

Whenever he went to work, he allegedly left her in the custody of his relative Salman, a resident of Ginauna village in Kheri district.

The woman further alleged that she was illegally confined and sexually exploited for nearly five years.

In recent months, she was allegedly being kept at a location in Kheri district. She stated that she managed to seek help from a neighbour and secretly contacted her father, informing him of her whereabouts. Her family subsequently rescued her and brought her back to Lucknow.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case under relevant sections pertaining to kidnapping, wrongful confinement, rape and other offences.

During the investigation, the accused Manzoor Ali was traced and arrested by police.

Assistant commissioner of Police, BKT, Vikas Pandey, said that Manzoor Ali, son of Sabir Ali and a resident of Mahangukheda village under Kheri police station limits, was arrested after the registration of the FIR. He is an Army jawan. He was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.

"We are also verifying the role of Salman and other persons named by the complainant who allegedly assisted the accused by providing shelter and facilitating the woman's confinement," said Pandey.

Police is also recording the victim's statement before a magistrate, conducting medical and forensic examinations, and collecting evidence from locations where she was allegedly kept during the five-year period.

Further legal action is underway, and allegations of religious conversion are being probed.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)