Dad held for raping 11yo at knifepoint; uncle helps file FIR after mom refuses

Meerut: A 45-year-old man was arrested on Friday for allegedly raping his 11-year-old daughter, a Class 6 student, at knifepoint in a village in Baghpat district.Baghpat SP Suraj Rai said the girl's medical examination confirmed sexual assault. "When she arrived at the police station, she was visibly traumatised and unable to speak. A woman constable counselled her patiently, after which she gathered the courage to narrate the incident. She told police that her father had threatened to kill her and sexually assaulted her at knifepoint," he said.Police said the girl's mother had stepped out on Tuesday to attend a wedding function in the neighbourhood, leaving the child alone at home. The accused allegedly returned home drunk, threatened the girl and raped her.The father of the girl also physically assaulted her and warned of slitting her throat. There were bite marks and injuries all over the child's body, police said. "Initially, the child remained silent but later broke down before her mother," the SP said.Fearing social stigma, the girl's mother refused to approach the police. The child then contacted her uncle, who lives in Delhi, and informed him about the incident. He approached the police and filed a complaint."An FIR was registered under BNS 65(2) (rape), 351 (criminal intimidation), 5(n)(m) of the Pocso Act, and relevant sections of the Arms Act. The accused was arrested from his house, and the knife used in the crime was recovered," said SHO Atar Singh.He added, "A team from Mission Shakti will provide psychological counselling to help the child cope with the trauma."