Man accused of rape trys to commit suicide in Chhattisgarh

Raigarh:A man accused of rape allegedly tried to commit suicide by consuming poison at a police station in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district, police said today. "The accused, Setram Rathiya, survived the suicide attempt and is under treatment at ICU in the district hospital," Raigarh Additional Superintendent of Police UBS Chauhan said.

Rathiya, a school teacher posted at Tarpali village, was arrested yesterday based on a complaint of rape of a 25-year-old nurse on the pretext of marrying her, in Chakradhar Nagar police station area, he said. As per the complaint, the accused had been raping the woman from past two years on the false promise of marriage.

When the victim got pregnant, he forced her for abortion and refused to marry, the ASP said. The woman yesterday lodged a complaint against Setram following which he was apprehended under section 376 (rape), 493 (cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code and brought to Chakradhar Nagar police station, he said.

While the police personnel were preparing to take the accused to district hospital for medical examination, he suddenly took out some poisonous substance from his pocket and consumed it, the ASP said. He was immediately rushed to the district hospital and admitted in ICU in view of his critical condition, he said. Meanwhile, Raigarh Superintendent of Police BN Meena has directed for a probe into the incident. The investigating officer has been asked to submit the report in this connection within three days, he added.