NGO staffer held for raping colleague

A 32-year-old attender with a city-based NGO was arrested for sexually assaulting a woman on its premises.

The suspect, Vadivelu, was arrested after the director of the NGO in JP Nagar, working for the differently abled, lodged a complaint with the police. Vadivelu was later released on bail.

According to the police, on April 19, the NGO had sent Vadivelu along with two women staff to paint an office building nearby. They returned around 12.30 pm, but Vadivelu was asked to give final touches to the work.

He was painting one of the rooms at the office when the victim along with her friend brought him buttermilk. Vadivelu asked the victim to stay and sent her friend back to the other office.

According to the police, Vadivelu then took her to the kitchen and switched off the lights. When a woman housekeeping staff came to clean, he asked her to go to the first floor instead, the police said.

After a while, when the housekeeping staff returned to the kitchen, the lights were turned on and the victim was adjusting her clothes, looking uncomfortable. Vadivelu was yelling at her to keep quiet. Sensing trouble, the staff informed the NGO about the incident, they said.

The following day, the management questioned Vadivelu about the incident and suspended him. They then informed the victim’s parents, but they were unwilling to lodge a complaint.

The director informed the JP Nagar police, who have taken up a case of rape, but are in the process of convincing the parents to give consent for a medical examination.