RANCHI: An FIR has been lodged against a missionary school principal for allegedly raping and sexually exploiting a 32-year-old tribal woman employed as a cook at his residence in Godda.
According to the FIR, the accused principal exploited the woman for nearly five months, forced her to take abortion pills after she became pregnant and threatened to terminate her family's employment and expel their child from the school if she disclosed the incident.
The FIR was registered at Sunderpahari police station on Sunday based on the woman's statement under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
In her complaint, the woman alleged that she first came in contact with the priest while struggling to support her family. He allegedly gained her trust by promising to arrange a job and provide financial assistance, but gradually exploited her after developing a close relationship with her.
The woman started working as a cook at the principal's residence, while her husband was employed to prepare meals for the children studying at the school.
The FIR stated that the sexual exploitation continued for around four to five months, during which the woman became pregnant. The accused allegedly gave her abortion pills, following which her health deteriorated and she had to be admitted to a hospital.
It further stated that the accused had allegedly threatened the woman with dire consequences if she revealed the incident. He reportedly warned that their child would be expelled from the school and both would lose their jobs.
According to the woman, she has repeatedly tried to speak about her ordeal and the mistreatment she faced, but she has yet to receive justice. Consequently, she submitted a formal written complaint to a former member of the Women's Commission, Mamta Kumari, seeking justice in the matter. She has requested an impartial investigation into the accused, appropriate legal action and an assurance of safety for her family.
With the intervention of Mamta Kumari, an FIR was lodged at Sunderpahari police station in this regard.
“We have demanded that the Superintendent of Police ensure that the accused is arrested immediately and strict action is taken against him after a proper investigation into the matter,” said Mamta Kumari. As the woman is scared that she might be killed, she is staying at the police station along with her husband and will give a statement before the magistrate on Monday, she added.
According to the officer-in-charge, the accused is currently absconding, and different teams are conducting raids to arrest him.
“We have booked Thomas Soren, the principal of a missionary school, for allegedly raping and sexually exploiting the woman. She has been sent to a government hospital for a medical examination,” said Sunderpahari police station officer-in-charge Vidhanchandra Patel. An investigation into the allegations is underway, he added.