Patna, Oct. 2: A police officer allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl on the premises of Morkahi police station in Khagaria district about three weeks ago, triggering violent protests yesterday.

Marar village residents laid siege to the police station yesterday, demanding the arrest of the Morkahi police station house officer (SHO). The protesters dispersed today, after Khagaria superintendent of police (SP) Deepak Burnwal shunted the officer, Satyendra Paswan, to the police lines in the district headquarters town, around 180km east of Patna. He also ordered a probe by deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) R.K. Mall, who has been asked to submit a report within 24 hours.

Mall visited the victim’s native village on Wednesday and recorded the statements of the girl, her parents and neighbours. The victim, a class VIII student of a government school, told the investigating officer she was raped by the police officer in a room of the police station building where he was staying alone.

She told the investigating officer she was brought to the police station for questioning after she was apprehended from Khagaria town where she was staying with her boyfriend on the night of September 12. On the intervening night of September 12 and 13, the girl alleged, two women at the police station, identified as Jagtaran Devi and Suman Devi, pushed her into the SHO’s room and locked it from outside around 1.30 am.

The next day, her boyfriend was forwarded to jail and she was released after her statement was recorded under Section 164 of CrPC in the court.

DSP Mall said the girl was medically examined after she was apprehended from Khagaria. “But, at that time she did not complain to any senior cop or to the court about rape at the police station,” he said.

According to the girl: “After outraging my modesty, the police officer asked me not to disclose the matter to my family, or he would eliminate my parents and implicate me in false cases. The officer took my signature on plain paper and video recorded my statement, denying any indecent behaviour at the police station.”

The girl narrated her ordeal to her mother, who informed her father, who returned from Rajasthan, where he worked, a few days ago. Her father sounded neighbours, who decided to take it up with senior police officials.

Mall said the girl’s medical report was awaited. Her boyfriend, a relative, is lodged in Khagaria divisional jail. SP Burnawal said disciplinary action would be taken on the basis of the probe report.