A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 45-year-old neighbour five months ago but the crime came to light now only now, because the girl had a miscarriage, reported The New Indian Express. The man was arrested on Wednesday by the Chennai police.

The accused, D Mari, had allegedly threatened the girl not to tell anyone about the crime. But on Tuesday, the girl participated in a dance competition and had complained of severe stomach and hip pain. Her mother took her to a clinic and they gave her pain killer, injection and few medicines.

The girl started bleeding heavily on Tuesday night, her mother then took her to a government hospital where the doctors told them that she had abortion of a five-months-old foetus.

After this, the girl told her sisters and mother that in January, one afternoon, while she was playing hide and seek with her friends, Mari had called her to come home. When she refused, he clamped her mouth from behind her and dragged her into his house. Then he raped her after tying her hands and gagging her.

The girl’s father had died ten months ago and her mother was working as a sanitary worker and both her sisters were married and settled in different parts of the city. The girl’s mother told The New Indian Express that the girl was very scared and did not tell anyone anything. The family added that this man was recently taken into custody for misbehaving with two other girls in the locality. But, he was let off with a warning.

On March 29, 2017, another 15-year-old in Chennai had immolated herself after being repeatedly blackmailed by her uncle that he would release her rape video. She was raped by the uncle last September at his house after he spiked her drink. She had informed her parents about it but they had let go of the matter after warning the uncle.