Varanasi, Aug 16 (IANS): Four persons, including a doctor, have been charged with the death of a 22-year-old rape victim who underwent a forced abortion.

Suryakant Tripathi, Superintendent of Police (Rural), said on Tuesday that a 28-year-old driver, his friend, a senior official of a private hospital, and a doctor were named as the offenders.

The main suspect has been taken into custody based on a complaint filed by the woman's uncle. The SP claimed that actions were being taken to arrest the remaining accused.

The woman passed away on August 12 while undergoing a forced abortion.

The woman met the driver when she was staying at her uncle's house for her studies, where she was allegedly raped, the official said.

According to reports, the accused drove the woman to a private hospital for an abortion after five months of pregnancy on the pretext of providing her medicine.

"She was an undergraduate student and had been in a relationship with the accused. In his complaint, the victim's uncle alleged that the youth raped her and got her pregnant," the police said.

The family also claimed that the woman left her house on August 12 under the pretext of visiting a cousin living in a neighbouring village.

She met the accused on the way, and he took her to a private hospital in Varanasi.

"During the procedure, there were some complications, following which the accused rushed her to another private hospital in Varanasi. It is alleged that the woman died while undergoing an abortion at the second hospital," said a senior police official.

According to the police, the accused tried hiding the victim's body but were caught.

Police were informed and sent the body for an autopsy.

"The autopsy report stated that the death occurred due to shock and haemorrhage," said the officer.