Arrest follows suicide of minor after alleged rape video circulated
Police in Bareilly have arrested a man accused of raping a minor, recording the assault and circulating the video — an episode that the authorities say was followed by the victim taking her own life. The case is being pursued under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, officials reported.
According to police records cited to the media, the alleged assault occurred at about 7 pm on July 21. A First Information Report was lodged at the Bithri Chainpur police station on July 22 under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (abetment of suicide) and applicable provisions of the IT Act after the video showing the offence was circulated.
- Incident reportedly took place on July 21 at about 7 pm.
- FIR filed at Bithri Chainpur police station on July 22 under Section 108 (BNS) and IT Act provisions.
- The minor died by suicide on July 26, police said.
- The accused was arrested by a police team on Saturday, authorities reported.
"A case was registered on July 22 under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act. The accused was arrested on Saturday and further legal action is being taken based on the evidence," Circle Officer Devesh Singh said, according to media reports.
Investigating officers said they launched a search after the complaint and located the man whom they accuse of recording and distributing the obscene video. The police have said further legal proceedings will follow according to the evidence recovered during the probe.
| Key dates | Event |
|---|---|
| July 21 | Alleged rape and recording of video (around 7 pm) |
| July 22 | FIR registered at Bithri Chainpur police station |
| July 26 | Minor reportedly died by suicide |
| Late September | Accused arrested, police said |
The police account, as reported by PTI and carried by national outlets, does not identify the accused or the victim. It is standard practice in India to withhold names and identifying details in cases involving minors under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other child-protection statutes; charges here include abetment of suicide and information-technology offences related to the circulation of obscene material.
Legal experts note that circulation of sexually explicit content involving minors attracts multiple penal provisions, and digital dissemination can lead to separate charges under the Information Technology Act in addition to criminal offences related to sexual assault and abetment. The registration of the case under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita signals that investigators are treating the victim's death as part of the criminal sequence.
Local residents and civil-society activists have in recent years urged faster police action and stricter oversight in cases where digital media compounds the victim's trauma. The incident adds to mounting concerns in Uttar Pradesh about crimes against children and the role of rapidly shared mobile content in aggravating harm.
Police said they will produce the accused before a magistrate and proceed with the investigation. Further details, including whether additional persons are being probed for distribution of the footage, will be made public as the inquiry progresses, the authorities reported.
This account is based on reporting by PTI carried in national outlets summarising statements by Bareilly police officials; no additional local comment was available at the time of publication.
