A 25-year-old man has been arrested by the Noida police for allegedly raping and kidnapping his 16-year-old cousin with an intent to compelling her for marriage, police officials said on Tuesday. The accused, who hails from Etawah district of the state and was staying in a village in the Phase 3 police area of Noida, was held on Monday, the officials said.
"On August 19, we got a complaint from the girl's father that she had gone missing and he suspected his relative, who is a cousin to the teenager, of sweet-talking her into eloping with him," a police spokesperson said.
"An FIR was lodged immediately under IPC sections 363 (missing) and 366 (kidnapping with intent to compel for marriage) on the basis of the complaint and investigation taken up," the spokesperson said.
On August 27, the girl was rescued and she informed the police about the rape after which IPC section 376 (rape) was added to the FIR and charges also pressed against him under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the official said.
The accused was arrested on Monday near the Sector 62 roundabout and produced in a local court which has sent him to jail, the police added.
