Bareilly: An 85-year-old woman was allegedly raped in her house in Hafizganj on Monday, following which she died. The police have arrested the 35-year-old accused, who lived in the same village as the victim, news agency PTI said.
The accused, identified as Rakesh, is said to be an alcoholic and is being interrogated by the police.
The victim resided alone after her husband and son had died, Senior Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya stated. "The woman's brother and sister-in-law live in the same neighbourhood and her daughter-in-law lives with them," Arya added.
It was when the daughter-in-law went to the victim's house at around 1 PM that she saw Rakesh raping her mother-in-law, the SSP said. Following this, the stunned daughter-in-law raised an alarm, which led the accused to flee from the house. Thereafter, the family informed the police immediately.
Meanwhile, the old woman died after the attack. Arya further stated that the police rushed to the site and succeeded in arresting the accused.
A report by Times of India said that the accused has been charged under sections 333 (house trespass with intent to hurt)m and 66 (rape causing death or persistent vegetative state) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
The report also says that the accused had barged in and locked the house from inside before raping the victim and the family members had to climb down from the roof to open the door of the house.
The report also cited a local resident as saying that the people in the neighbourhood caught Rakesh Kumar and roughed him before handing him over to the police.
"He is a potter and is drunk most of the time," the local resident said.
Additional SP, Mukesh Chandra Mishra said: "SHO Hafizganj received a complaint that an 85-year-old woman was raped by a local villager. As a result of the sexual assaultm the woman died. The accused is being questioned. The body was sent for autopsy and the report is awaited. People in the village are angry but the situation is under control."