Woman raped on pretext of marriage

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 3

A married woman was allegedly raped by a man on the pretext of marrying her. On a complaint of the woman, the police have registered a rape case against him with the charges of wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation. The man had kept the woman in illegal confinement in Bhopal and Madhya Pradesh for over two weeks.

The suspect has been identified as Atul Walia, a resident of Bank Colony, Jamalpur. Atul works at his brother’s company, Walia Transport.

The police said the accused and the victim both have a daughter each from their previous marriages.

The investigating officer, Assistant Sub-Inspector Baldev Singh, said the complainant, who is a resident of Ram Nagar, said she had been married for the past six years. About a year ago, she met Atul at the marriage of her brother. Soon, they became friends. Since she was not at good terms with her husband, she got swayed by Atul’s big talks. He promised to marry her after arranging divorce with her husband, she said.

“On October 15, Atul took me along with him from home on the pretext that he is going to marry her. He took me at some place in Bhopal where he had sexually exploited me for two weeks. On October 30, Atul’s family reached Bhopal and took both of us back here. Now, he refuses to marry me,” said the victim.

The ASI said raids were being conducted to nab the suspect.