Beltangady: Dharmasthala police on Tuesday December 27 arrested a person who allegedly attempted to rape a minor girl.

The arrested has been identified as Umesh (25), an auto rickshaw driver and a Bajrang Dal activist.

The incident had taken place on December 24 when Umesh had entered the house of the minor, a resident of Mapalaje in Nidle village and a class 4 student while she was alone with her younger sister at home and attempted to rape her.

However since the girl started shouting for help Umesh threatened her against informing anyone about the incident before escaping.

The girl’s mother filed a police complaint on the same. The family was reportedly under pressure from Bajrang Dal not to register a police complaint and that there was delay in lodging the complaint.

It is also gathered that Bajrang Dal activists are trying to dissuade the complainants from pursuing the case further and are also trying to save Umesh from getting punished for this crime.

As per information, though the complainants had lodged a complaint at Dharmasthala police station on December 24 itself, the police under pressure from some quarters, were trying to bail out Umesh.

However, deputy superintendent of police (DySP), Ravish C R on learning about this development is said to have visited Dharmasthala police station and reprimanded the police personnel for their lapse and asked them to file the case.

The accused has been booked under different provisions of POSCO Act and remanded to 15 days judicial custody.