Man arrested for raping, impregnating minor daughter in Assam's Cachar

Police in Assam's Cachar district have arrested a man accused of repeatedly raping his teenage daughter and impregnating her, nearly 11 months after she filed a complaint with assistance from Child Helpline authorities.

The accused had been on the run since January 2025, when his now 16-year-old daughter reported the abuse to police. Officers finally apprehended him on Monday night, November 10, following an extended manhunt.

"After receiving the complaint in January, we registered a case and began an investigation. The accused had been absconding for the last 11 months before we managed to apprehend him on Monday night," said Siimsing Timung, officer-in-charge of Udharbond Police Station.

The survivor, who gave birth to a girl, came forward on January 18, 2025 at the Rangirkhari Police Outpost in Silchar town—approximately 18 kilometres from where the abuse occurred in Udharbond. Though the assaults began in 2022, she had remained silent for years under threats from her father.

In her complaint, the victim stated her father raped her multiple times at their home. She further alleged he threatened her with dire consequences, including killing her younger brother, if she disclosed the abuse to anyone.

The case was subsequently transferred to Udharbond Police Station for investigation. Authorities registered charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and related legislation based on the complaint and preliminary evidence.

"The charge sheet was filed within the mandatory time frame, and we gathered adequate evidence during the investigation indicating rape," an investigating officer confirmed.

The accused has been remanded to judicial custody as the case proceeds through the courts. (With inputs from PTI)