Hyderabad: In a shocking incident, an 11-year-old girl was raped by a 45-year-old pastor at Vallampadu village under Revanur police station limits in Koilakuntla talu. According to police, the incident occurred on April 23. A case was registered under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO ACT) along with Section 376 of IPC.

The accused was remanded to custody, the police said.

The police said that Subbaiah, 45, was working as a pastor in Vallampadu village. He also ran a kirana shop in his house. When the girl went to the shop to purchase groceries, the pastor was alleged to have raped the minor girl. The girl was bleeding for the past two days, said police.

It is learnt that the girl was withdrawing from the family members since the incident. When her parents insisted, the victim said that she was raped by the pastor.

Though the incident happened on April 23, they could not muster courage to report against the pastor, it is learnt.

Bajarang Dal State Co-ordinator P Prathap Reddy demanded stringent punishment against the pastor for brutally raping a minor girl.

Representatives of civil society also held agitations over the chilling rape of a minor girl.

An advocate said that Section 376 of Indian Penal Code provides for stringent punishment, as whoever commits rape shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may be for life or for a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine unless the women raped is his own wife and is not under twelve years of age, in which cases, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both.