PESHAWAR: A local prayer leader accused of raping a minor seminary student in Tajori area of Lakki Marwat district was arrested on Tuesday, police said.

The 38-year-old accused, who was a prayer leader at a local mosque, was arrested on charge of sexual abuse after one of his students lodged a First-Information Report (FIR) against him, Station House Officer (SHO) Ayaz Khan said.

The accused in initial interrogation confessed to sexually abusing one of his madressah students, an 11-year-old boy, he said.

The police officer said evidence has already been collected and medical tests are being processed. The accused will now be presented before a local court to seek his physical remand.

The incident took place at Darul Uloom Muhammadia Ghausia located in Kotka Abi Zar Ahmad Zai area of Lakki Marwat, the SHO said.

The madressah was founded 10 years ago and a number of students are receiving Islamic education there, he said.

The victim belonged to Dhoda area, which is around 40 kilometres away from the seminary, hence he resided there along with other students.

The boy claimed in the FIR that his room at the seminary was adjacent to that of the prayer leader, who asked the boy to bring him water for ablution (wuzu). The boy said as he entered the room, the prayer leader locked the door and subjected him to rape.

After the sexual assault, the cleric locked him inside the room for almost 24 hours, the boy alleged. The rape victim was able to escape and reach home when the prayer leader went away from the mosque.