Preacher Tufail Ahmad Dadafeer Arrested in Belagavi Rape Case

• A preacher named Tufail Ahmad Dadafeer has been arrested for the alleged rape of a 5-year-old girl in Belagavi, Karnataka.
• The incident took place in October 2023, but the case came to light recently through social media.
• The victim’s family, despite having CCTV footage of the crime, refused to file a police complaint due to fear.

GG News Bureau
Belagavi, 6th Aug: A preacher, identified as Tufail Ahmad Dadafeer, has been arrested for allegedly raping a 5-year-old girl inside a mosque in Karnataka’s Belagavi district. The crime, which occurred in October 2023, came to light only recently after an activist shared details and CCTV footage on social media.

According to Dr. Bhimashankar S. Guled, Superintendent of Police, Belagavi, the assault was captured on CCTV cameras inside the mosque. Despite having the video evidence, the victim’s family had not filed a police complaint out of fear and concern for the child’s future. Even when police approached the girl’s father, he reportedly refused to get involved in the case.

The case was ultimately registered by the Belagavi district child protection unit on behalf of the victim, which led to the arrest of Dadafeer. Dr. Guled stated that the accused primarily worked as a welder but also preached at various mosques. “He had gone there after a quarrel at home. The child was traumatised, crying, and scared after the incident. Her family checked the CCTV footage and realised what had happened, but did not file a complaint at the time,” Dr. Guled said.

The Muragod police are now conducting a further investigation.

This incident is the second controversy to emerge from the Belagavi district in recent days. Earlier, three people were arrested for allegedly poisoning a government school’s water tank in an attempt to oust a Muslim headmaster.