📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression
Crime
Self‑styled healer arrested for raping 14‑year‑old in Chhattisgarh
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 19 Oct 2026, 09:31 PM
👁 16
Police in Chhattisgarh have taken into custody a man who presented himself as a healer after a 14‑year‑old girl accused him of rape, claiming the act was part of a treatment.
Police officials in Chhattisgarh announced the arrest of a man who had been offering himself as a traditional healer after a 14-year-old girl reported that he had sexually assaulted her under the pretext of providing treatment. The victim’s family lodged a formal complaint, prompting an immediate investigation by local law enforcement.
According to the police statement, the suspect was detained at the district police station following a preliminary inquiry that corroborated the girl's allegations. Investigators have seized any material that could serve as evidence and are conducting forensic examinations as part of the case.
The accused now faces charges of rape of a minor under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Authorities have assured that the investigation will proceed swiftly, emphasizing the state's commitment to safeguarding children from sexual exploitation.
The incident has drawn attention to the prevalence of unqualified individuals posing as healers in rural areas, prompting calls for stricter regulation of alternative medical practices.
Further updates will be provided as the case moves through the judicial process.
According to the police statement, the suspect was detained at the district police station following a preliminary inquiry that corroborated the girl's allegations. Investigators have seized any material that could serve as evidence and are conducting forensic examinations as part of the case.
The accused now faces charges of rape of a minor under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Authorities have assured that the investigation will proceed swiftly, emphasizing the state's commitment to safeguarding children from sexual exploitation.
The incident has drawn attention to the prevalence of unqualified individuals posing as healers in rural areas, prompting calls for stricter regulation of alternative medical practices.
Further updates will be provided as the case moves through the judicial process.