NEET aspirant raped in Kota hostel; tiffin boy, proprietor arrested

NEW DELHI: The tiffin boy and the owner of a hostel for coaching students in Rajasthan's Kota district were arrested on Friday in connection with the repeated rape and blackmail of a 15-year-old NEET aspirant, police said.

The girl from Bihar -- who had been living in the hostel with her sister -- alleged in her complaint on Tuesday that the tiffin boy repeatedly raped her while the hostel owner warned her against disclosing the incident, Superintendent of Police (Kota City) Sharad Choudhary said.

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The survivor said in her complaint that the tiffin boy visited her room to deliver food and had become acquainted with her. Taking advantage of this newfound acquaintance, the tiffin boy in February tempted her to drink liquor and raped her when she became inebriated. He had also filmed the act.

The tiffin boy then used the video to blackmail and rape her another six to seven times, the survivor alleged. When the survivor approached the hostel owner for help, he first tried to convince her to marry the tiffin boy. When she refused, the hostel owner warned the survivor that any step would bring the matter to the knowledge of her family and "disgrace" their name, she said.

The hostel owner also accused the survivor of inciting the tiffin boy, she alleged. On the basis of the complaint, the police lodged a case of rape and blackmail against the tiffin boy under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and the IT Act, Choudhary said.

The hostel owner was booked for conspiracy under sections of the IPC, POCSO Act and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, he said. The two accused were arrested on Friday and an investigation is underway, Choudhary added.