Jealousy drives cousins to rape girl in UP school

Sitapur June 30 (IANS) In a shocking incident in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur, four jealous cousins of a girl sedated and raped her repeatedly in a government school campus because she was exceptionally good in studies.

One of her teachers also joined the cousins in raping the girl.

The accused cousins and the teacher filmed the act and then circulated some of the video clips among family members on a WhatsApp group on Friday after which the matter came to light.

The parents of the 16-year-old girl who is a student of class eight, lodged an FIR against all five on Saturday. One of the accused has been arrested while four are absconding.

Additional Superintendent of Police (North) Madhuvan Kumar Singh said: "Once the girl was sedated, the youths and their teacher took turns to rape her while one of them filmed the act on a mobile phone. When she regained consciousness, she was told she fainted on the playground and was hence, brought to the staff room."

The student, in her complaint, said she was gang-raped by her cousins for excelling in studies.

The police officer added: "The incident took place at the government school in Maholi thana area of Sitapur. The accused are seniors in the same school."

A preliminary probe indicates that the cousins apparently wanted to "cut her to size" for excelling in studies while they failed in examinations.

The accused and the victim live in a joint family and the boys were allegedly humiliated by the family when the girl who stood first in class.

The assaults took place during recess when the cousins asked the girl to have lunch with them.

Food, laced with sedatives, was served in the staff room.