Representational image
| Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
The police on Tuesday arrested a man claiming to be a practitioner of astrology on charge of raping a woman by enticing her in the guise of a ‘puja’ to resolve her problems.
Prabhad, 44, originally from Thrissur, was arrested by the Palarivattom police. He has since been produced in court and remanded.
The survivor had got in touch with Prabhad through an advertisement that the latter had posted on Instagram. According to the police, he promised to find solutions to the woman’s issues, both financial and familial, through ritualistic pujas.
The two had initially met at a temple in Thrissur where a puja was held in May. Since it was found not to have had the ‘desired result,’ Prabhad reportedly asked the woman to come to his rented place near Chakkaraparambu from where he ran a firm of sorts offering such ritualistic solutions.
“Though the ‘firm’ displayed no nameboard, his visiting card did have a name. It was here that he sexually abused the woman,” said police sources.
The police are set to seek his custody for further interrogation. Though preliminary investigation has ruled out the involvement of any co-accused, the police have not dismissed such a possibility.
Published – September 26, 2024 12:21 am IST
