Police in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district arrested a self-proclaimed exorcist for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl, officials said on Saturday.

The incident came to light after the victim’s mother lodged a complaint with the local police. According to the complaint, the crime took place on Friday evening when the girl’s mother took her to the accused’s house in Ulara village in Memari police station area for exorcism as she had been unwell for a few days.

As per the complaint lodged, the accused took the victim to a room on the pretext of curing her but instead raped the minor, an official said.

The accused was produced before a court, which remanded him to five-day police custody, the official added.

(With PTI inputs)