22-year-old allegedly raped by self-styled pastor in Gurdaspur

Chandigarh: A 22-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a self-styled pastor in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, her family claimed on Sunday. The victim, a Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) student, reportedly died after undergoing a botched abortion facilitated by the accused, police said.

Speaking to media, the woman’s father alleged that the family had been regular visitors to a church in Abul Khair village, where the pastor, identified as Jashan Gill, allegedly manipulated and repeatedly raped his daughter. “He made her pregnant and later got her abortion done through a nurse in Khokhar village,” he said.

The father further accused the nurse of medical negligence, stating that the abortion was carried out carelessly, leading to a severe infection.

“She began experiencing stomach pain and was admitted to a hospital. After an ultrasound, we came to know she had a miscarriage. She was then referred to Amritsar, where she died during treatment,” he said.

The family has also accused local police officials of corruption, alleging that the accused priest bribed them to avoid arrest. “He roams freely while the police take money from him. The incident happened in 2023 and we’ve even received threats during this time,” the father added.

An investigation into the incident is underway.