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PALANPUR: In a major embarassment for the BJP, the Deesa police arrested a local municipality member for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl in the town on Friday night.

The accused Jitu Rana , who represents the BJP from Kailashnagar in the municipality, had allegedly raped the girl in an empty shop of a commercial complex. Rana, 32, has been booked under sections 376 (rape), 354 (outraging modesty of woman) and sections of the IPC as well as Protection of Children of Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO). He was arrested on Saturday.

Deesa BJP president Sanjay Brahmbhatt said that Rana has been suspended from the party.

In her complaint, the girl alleged that Rana had been molesting her ever since her class X examination was completed. She alleged that he even threatened to kill her family members if she revealed anything to them.

On Friday night, Rana along with his accomplice molested and raped her in an empty shop. The girl’s father and other family members, who came to trace her in the commercial complex, after Rana’s accomplice alerted him. They even smothered her mouth and later fled on a bike, said RK Solanki, police inspector, Deesa.

“We sent the girl for medical examination and area awaiting the report,” Solank said.

Rana was produced before the POCSO court, which sent him to judicial custody.

Meanwhile, the local Congress has latched on to the issue and likened it to the Naliya gang-rape case. Deesa Congress MLA Gova Desai said that the girl belongs to a poor family and the party would do everything possible to ensure justice for them.

Talking to TOI, Deesa Congress president Zakir Chauhan said they would to decide further course of action on Monday.

