Rape survivor consumes poison on court premises in Uttarakhand

Dehradun: A rape survivor seeking permission for an abortion consumed pesticide inside court premises in Roorkee, police said on Wednesday.

The four-month pregnant woman was rushed to the trauma centre of Roorkee Civil Hospital from where she was referred to AIIMS, Rishikesh, SP (rural) Swapan Kishore Singh said.

She was waiting in the court of Upadhi Singhal, additional civil judge (first) junior division, for a hearing on her petition seeking permission for an abortion on Tuesday when she consumed pesticide and fell on the ground, he said.

The woman who hails from Budaun in Uttar Pradesh had lodged a case against a man from Bhagwanpur area near Roorkee accusing him of raping her. She had a rented room in Bhagwanpur.

According to her complaint, the accused had physical relations with her after promising to marry her but did not keep his word.

A case was registered and the accused was arrested on November 9 and sent to jail. The charge sheet against him was filed on November 18, the SP said.

The woman is said to have been under mental stress as she was being pressured by her landlord to vacate her room and by the relatives of the accused to withdraw the case, the SP said.