NGO accuses cop of raping teenager; police denies

Dharwad, Aug 11 (UNI) A non government organisation today alleged that a 15-year-old girl, arrested along with 14 others, on the charge of prostitution, was raped in police custody in the city.

Addressing a press conference here, Sadhana Institute convener Isabel Das alleged that the police had arrested 15 people, including 11 women and the girl, during raids conducted on Tuesday last.

They had harassed the women and a constable had raped the teenaged girl, she claimed.

''Though the girl is ready to identify the constable, no action has been taken yet,'' she added.

She said the police had also not used the services of women police while carrying out the raids on the houses of these women and given out details of these women to the media, violating the Supreme Court order.

Ms Das said she had lodged a complaint with the State and National Women's Rights Commissions and the Human Rights Commission of Bangalore in this regard.

When contacted by UNI, City Police Commissioner N R Nadamani admitted that the arrests were made on Tuesday last, but denied that there was a 15-year-old among them.

He said only 12 women and three men were arrested during the raids. Besides, all of them were produced before the magistrate the same day and remanded in judicial custody, he added.

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