Shop owner, brothers held for repeatedly raping teen in Darjeeling; cops say survivor pregnant, blackmailed with videos

A 45-year-old grocery shop owner and his two brothers were arrested on Sunday in Bengal’s Darjeeling district for allegedly repeatedly raping a 13-year-old girl, police said.

“The victim’s family, which lives in the same village, lodged a complaint at the Phansidewa police station on Saturday after the girl fell ill and told her mother that the shopkeeper and his brothers committed the crime. Local people vandalised the shop when they came to know about the incident,” one of the investigating officers said, requesting anonymity.

“The girl said she was allegedly raped multiple times. Doctors confirmed she is pregnant. The accused made videos of the crime and allegedly blackmailed the girl. The family alleged that the accused also threatened to kill her if she told anyone,” the officer added. Police were deployed in the area due to the brewing tension.

SDPO Saumyajit Roy said, “The accused were remanded in police custody by a local court on Sunday.”