Bengaluru: Two lecturers, friend arrested for blackmailing, sexually assaulting student

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru police arrested two college lecturers and their friend for allegedly blackmailing and sexually assaulting a 19-year-old student.

The accused are Narendra, Sandeep, and Anoop.

Narendra and Anoop taught physics and biology, respectively, at a reputed college in Moodbidri, Dakshina Kannada. Senior officers confirmed to DH that a case was registered last week, leading to their arrest on July 13.

The Marathahalli police have booked the trio under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections relating to rape and blackmail. The victim is a student at a college on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The police stated that Narendra befriended the student six months ago, feigning interest in sharing notes and lectures, and built a relationship with her. On one occasion, when she was in Bengaluru, he reportedly took her to Anoop’s house under the pretext of sharing notes and allegedly raped her.

Narendra then informed his friend Sandeep, after warning the victim not to disclose the incident. Sandeep subsequently began blackmailing the victim, claiming possession of videos and photographs of her and Narendra. He then sexually assaulted her, the victim has alleged.

Anoop, upon learning of the incident, also allegedly blackmailed and sexually assaulted the victim.

This pattern became more frequent as the trio continued to blackmail her for sexual assault.

She told her parents about the rape, who approached the state women’s commission. The commission wrote to the jurisdictional deputy commissioner of police (DCP), and a case was registered. The three were arrested. 

Nagalakshmi Choudhary, Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, said that an investigation was underway.