Mentally-challenged woman’s rapist identified

CHANDIGARH - The man who in May last year raped a mentally-challenged woman living in a government shelter for destitutes here and even made her pregnant has been identified through DNA sampling, forensic officials said Tuesday.

The culprit has been identified as Chottu Ram alias Madho Ram, a guard at the government-run Nari Niketan (shelter for destitute women), according to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) report.

“The CFSL report has confirmed that the victim was raped by Chottu Ram. The DNA samples of Chottu have matched with the samples of the baby girl. We have submitted this report in the court,” said Rajiv Giroti of the CFSL.

This infamous rape case had shaken this union territory in May last year. The matter came to light after the 20-year-old woman developed pregnancy-related complications.

Chottu, who is a native of Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh, is married and has two children.

He was arrested by the police in December 2009. So far police have arrested six accused, including two women, for their involvement in the rape.

The Chandigarh administration went to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking permission for medical termination of the woman’s pregnancy on the grounds that she was not capable of looking after her child. The court allowed the plea but its decision was appealed in the apex court.

The Supreme Court in July 2009 overruled the high courts orders and allowed the mentally challenged victim to carry on with the pregnancy following expert advice that the mentally challenged mother could take care of the child.

The woman gave birth to a girl in December 2009.