Man held for raping, impregnating destitute woman in Thane

Thane, Oct 18 (PTI) A man was arrested on Friday for allegedly raping and impregnating a 19-year-old destitute woman in Maharashtra's Thane city, police said.

The assault came to light when the woman suffering from labour pains approached the Kalwa Civic Hospital, where doctors turned her away, suspecting that she was a minor and referred her to the police on Wednesday, senior inspector Sriram Pol said.

A police official allegedly refused to register a case and demanded age proof from the woman, who lived on a footpath in Kalwa. She later delivered a baby prematurely, and it died, he said.

A social worker approached the police commissioner, seeking action against the erring police official and the hospital staff, the official said.

Following this, a sub-inspector of the Thane Nagar police station was suspended on Thursday, and a case was registered based on the woman's complaint, he said.

The accused has been arrested under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, and a probe is underway, the official said. PTI COR ARU