Women separated from partners, ‘raped’ by tribal community leaders in Chhattisgarh
2 min readRaipurJul 24, 2026 05:20 AM IST
A police official said: “On the pretext of keeping her safe, the duo allegedly gangraped her multiple times on July 4, as well as made her consume pills in a bid to end her pregnancy.” (File Photo)
Two tribal community leaders have been arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Korea district on charges of raping a 25-year-old and a 17-year-old.
The two women were in relationships against their family’s wishes, and had allegedly been left by their families with the two men – Daroga Singh, 75, and his brother-in-law Ramesh Tekam, 56 – after separating them from their respective partners.
The 25-year-old tribal woman has told the local police that she had got married to a man from another caste in April. On July 4, she said, her parents and relatives forcibly brought her back, allegedly at the instigation of Singh and Tekam, and handed her over to the duo.
A police official said: “On the pretext of keeping her safe, the duo allegedly gangraped her multiple times on July 4, as well as made her consume pills in a bid to end her pregnancy.”
She managed to contact her husband, who approached police and they rescued her on July 5.
The official said that it was she who informed them that a 17-year-old girl was also being forcibly kept by the two men. “On July 10, we recorded the minor’s statement, and she said she was raped by the duo as well.”
The 17-year-old said she had eloped with a man from another caste. After he was arrested under the POCSO Act earlier this year, her parents sent her to the two community leaders, she alleged.
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Singh and Tekam have been booked under Sections of gang rape, aggravated rape, forcible abortion, as well as Sections covering sexual assault on a minor and under POCSO. Police said Tekam had earlier too faced rape charges, and was arrested in 2021.
DSP, Headquarters, Asha Das said that Singh and Tekam went underground after the registration of the FIR. “We traced and arrested them on July 19. They have been remanded to judicial custody,” she told The Indian Express.
Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India. Expertise and Experience Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of: Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages. Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states. Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering: Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements. Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law. Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in: Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel. Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India. Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More
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Source: Indian Express
