The father of a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by a 28-year-old tribal man in Surat was arrested on Monday for allegedly beating the accused to death, police said.

According to police, the accused was beaten up by three persons on February 27 and he succumbed to his injuries in hospital late on Sunday. The man allegedly raped the girl around two months ago and again attempted rape on her on February 27 when he was beaten up by three persons, they said.

Surat district superintendent of police Usha Rada said, “We have registered a complaint of murder. We have identified one of the accused as father of the girl and arrested him. Efforts are on to arrest the others.”

After being beaten up, the accused went to the nearby police station, allegedly in an inebriated state, and filed a complaint against the three youths. Police registered a non-cognisable complaint and started probe. On February 28, the accused was admitted to hospital with internal injuries.

Meanwhile, the girl’s father reached the police station and lodged a complaint saying that the accused raped his daughter two months ago when she was alone at home and threatened her not to disclose it to anyone.

On the bases of the statements of the girl’s father, police had registered an offence against the 28-year-old under Indian Penal Code sections 376(2)(n) and 506(2), as well as the POCSO Act and Prohibition Act. Police also carried out a medical examination of both the accused and the survivor girl.