Minor NEET aspirant held hostage, raped for over six months in Kanpur; 2 teachers arrested

NEW DELHI: A minor student from Fatehpur who moved here to prepare for her medical entrance exam NEET at a prominent coaching institute was allegedly held hostage for over six months and raped by two of its teachers, police said on Saturday. They said the ordeal began for the student in December 2022, when she was putting up at a city hostel. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kalyanpur) Abhishek Pandey said the case was registered on Friday after she approached the Kalyanpur police station.

Both teachers -- Sahil Siddiqui, who taught biology, and Vikas Porwal, who taught chemistry -- have been arrested and charged with offences of rape, wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation and under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act. The student was 17 years old when this happened. In her complaint, the survivor told police that in December 2022, Siddiqui invited her to his friend's flat in Kalyanpur's Makdi-Khera area for a New Year's party, saying other students would be there as well.

Video threatened disclosure

She alleged that when she reached the flat, she found only Siddiqui there who drugged her by lacing her soft drink with sedatives and raped her while also recording the episode on video. According to the complaint, Siddiqui allegedly held her hostage in his flat for over six months, during which he repeatedly raped her and also threatened to share the video online if she spoke to anyone about it.

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The student alleged that Porwal raped her a few months after this. She said in the FIR that she could not muster the courage to seek police help as she was afraid that it might land her family in danger. Six months later, the girl's mother arrived in Kanpur and took her along. Initially, the girl was hesitant to approach the police but she made up her mind to take the step when she came across a video showing Siddiqui sexually harassing a coaching student.

The case was registered against the two teachers under Indian Penal Code sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence), 376(2)(n) (commits rape repeatedly on the same woman), 344 (wrongful confinement for 10 or more days) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and the POCSO Act, an official said.