The family of a teenage girl in Kanpur continues to live in fear over a week after she was allegedly kidnapped and raped by a police sub-inspector and a YouTuber. They report receiving daily threats from associates of the accused officer.
Victim traumatized, family under pressure
"My sister refuses to leave our home since the incident happened," said the 19-year-old brother who filed the police complaint. "She stays inside and does not speak to anyone. We face constant intimidation through social media posts and direct threats."
The brother explained that videos, letters and audio clips circulate online claiming the sub-inspector is innocent. "When these attempts to clear his name failed, the threats began directly targeting our family," he alleged.
Police response and arrests
Sub-inspector Amit Kumar Maurya remains missing despite extensive police searches. The other accused, Shiv Baran who identifies as a YouTuber, was arrested last week.
On Tuesday, the victim's brother reported receiving a threatening phone call warning him against pursuing the case. Police traced this call to neighboring Sitapur district and arrested Amit Trivedi, a 30-year-old odd job worker.
"We have detained Trivedi for questioning," confirmed Kanpur Deputy Commissioner of Police S M Qasim Abidi. "During interrogation, he claimed he made the call to convince the family not to implicate someone named Amit. We are verifying this statement."
Police stated they have found no initial evidence connecting Trivedi directly to the absconding sub-inspector.
The alleged crime details
The incident occurred on January 5 night when the girl stepped outside her home. According to her statement, two men dragged her into a black SUV. One wore a police uniform while driving.
Despite her screams, they took her to a secluded area near railway tracks where both allegedly raped her inside the vehicle for over thirty minutes. Afterwards, they returned her to the abduction spot and pushed her out.
Initial police response criticized
The family searched for hours when the girl did not return home that evening. She finally reached around midnight and revealed what happened.
When filing the FIR on January 6, the family noticed crucial omissions. "The complaint did not mention the police uniform," the brother stated. "Charges under the POCSO Act were also missing."
They approached Station House Officer Vikram Singh with their concerns. "He misbehaved with us and used objectionable language about my sister's character," the brother alleged. "He shouted that proper charges would be added only if investigation proved our allegations."
The siblings tried meeting senior officials without success. Their situation changed only after they recorded a video detailing their ordeal and posted it online. When the video went viral, police attention followed.
Current developments
Police have now added POCSO Act sections to the FIR, which originally included only abduction and gangrape charges against unidentified persons. Authorities have taken disciplinary action against SHO Vikram Singh.
DCP Abidi announced a Rs 50,000 reward for information leading to Maurya's arrest. "We are conducting raids to locate this 2023-batch sub-inspector," he said. Police personnel now guard the victim's house for security.
Family's determination
The brother remains committed to seeking justice despite the challenges. "Our father is paralyzed and our mother passed away years ago," he shared. "My sister is the youngest among four siblings."
He works with a private company in Tamil Nadu but has stayed away from his job to pursue the case. "I keep writing to senior authorities," he said. "No hardship will stop me from ensuring SI Amit Kumar faces justice for what he did to my sister."
