UP: Stillborn baby exhumed for DNA test to identify rapist

Rampur (Uttar Pradesh), Sep 16 The body of a stillborn child, delivered two days ago by a minor Dalit girl with speech impairment, has now been exhumed and sent for DNA sampling.

The DNA will help the police to ascertain if the accused was indeed the rapist of the minor Dalit girl, who was allegedly raped several times by him.

The family members of the girl, 16, had accused the man, her cousin and a neighbour of raping her repeatedly. They claimed that after the girl delivered the stillborn, they showed the girl photographs of some people and she repeatedly pointed towards the man.

Police said that the DNA test of the accused, who is currently absconding, will also be conducted once he is caught.

Further action will be taken on the basis of the reports, a police officer said.

After the family's complaint, police had booked the man under IPC section 376 (punishment for rape) and under the POCSO Act.

Station house officer (SHO) of Azim Nagar police station, Ravindra Kumar, said, "As of now, the accused is at large and efforts are underway to apprehend him. Given the girl's mental condition, we cannot rely on her statement. So, we are conducting the DNA tests. The sample of the baby, whose body was exhumed, has been collected."

The rape survivor had given birth to the seven-month old stillborn baby girl two days ago.

The family claimed that they did not know about her pregnancy. They came to know about it only after the girl started complaining of severe stomach pain on Saturday night and then gave birth to the stillborn baby at home.