A horrifying case of abduction, forced marriage and rape has come to light in Bengaluru.
Santosh, a man in his mid-thirties, allegedly kidnapped his 20-year-old neighbour, forcefully tied a mangalsutra around her neck and raped her in the city’s Dasarahalli area.
According to the Magadi Road Police, the incident occurred late on Thursday night but came to light only on Friday.
“According to the complaint filed by the girl’s parents, Santosh had been harassing the family for a long time. He wanted to marry the girl and had proposed the idea to the girl’s family members. However, the girl’s parents knew that Santosh already had a wife and two children, which is why they refused his offer,” an official at the Magadi Road police station said.
Even after both Sapna (name changed) and her family members refused his offer, Sathosh kept harassing the family with his request, said the official.
“According to the complaint, Santosh had been harassing Sapna and her parents, stating that he wanted to get married to her for a few months now,” he added.
On Thursday night, Sapna, who spent every night at her grandmother’s house a few buildings away, left her home at around 10 pm.
“Her parents said that their house was small and could not accommodate a lot of people. The girl’s grandmother lived on the same street and she would go over at night to sleep there,” the official said.
Sapna was walking to her grandmother’s house, when Santosh intercepted her. He allegedly gagged her and dragged her into his house.
“Santosh dragged her into the house and tied a mangalsutra around her neck. He then told her that she was his wife and raped her. He then locked her in a room in his house the whole night,” the police said.
Meanwhile, Sapna’s grandmother grew anxious as her granddaughter had not come home. She then went to Sapna’s house to enquire and found that she was not at her parents’ home either.
“Her parents looked for her the whole night. Later, on Friday, they became suspicious that Santosh may be involved in her disappearance as he had constantly harassed them for her hand in marriage. According to the girl’s father, the family barged into his house on Friday and found the girl locked up in one of the rooms,” the police official said.
Sapna was then rescued and a complaint was filed at the Magadi Road Police Station on Friday.
A case has been booked against Santosh under Sections 362 (Abduction), 354 (Assault on a woman with intention to outrage her modesty) and 375 (rape) of the IPC. “He has been booked for abduction and rape, and is currently in judicial custody,” the police official said.