A harrowing case of child sexual abuse has come to light in Karnataka's Bantwal region where a 42-year-old man has been accused of repeatedly raping his minor daughter. The Bantwal Police, who are investigating the case, learnt of the abuse suffered by the 17-year-old girl after the arrest of her uncle, who has also been accused of raping her.

On Thursday afternoon, the girl's mother approached the police in Mangaluru and filed a complaint alleging that her brother-in-law, Abdul*, had raped her daughter.

"On Wednesday, the girl and her mother had travelled from Bantwal to Ullal to visit Abdul's ailing mother. Abdul's mother had taken ill and was admitted to a local hospital. The girl and her mother visited her in the hospital and later gone to Abdul's home," the Ullal Police told TNM.

On Wednesday night, Abdul allegedly raped the minor girl and threatened her with dire consequences if she spoke about it. "Abdul is said to have told the victim that she is old enough to be a woman. The next morning, the girl informed her mother about the incident after which her mother approached us," the Ullal Police added.

The police have registered an FIR under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault) and 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act.

Abdul was arrested on Thursday and upon questioning him, the investigators found that the minor girl's father Ali* (42)  too had been raping the girl for nearly a year. "When we questioned Abdul, he told us that he had information that the minor girl's father had been raping her for nearly a year. Abdul said he thought that he too could force the girl to have sex with him since her father was doing the same. We immediately informed the Child Line officials," the Ullal Police added.

On Friday, the Child Line officials visited the girl's home and asked her about Abdul's accusations. "The girl confirmed to Child Line officials that her father Ali had been raping her as well," the police said.

The Bantwal Rural Police have registered an FIR against Ali as well, under section 376 (rape) of the IPC and sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault) and 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act. The father is on the run.

"So far, the father has not been arrested since he absconded. We are looking for him," the Bantwal police added.

(*Names changed)