Delhi woman ‘sexually harassed’ in Ludhiana hotel, astrologer booked

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Davinder Singh, investigating officer, said a case has been registered on the basis of the woman’s statement

A 22-year-old Delhi woman, who recently returned from Canada, has accused a Ludhiana-based astrologer of attempting to rape her in a hotel room where he had gone to perform a “remedy” for her brother.

The matter is being investigated and CCTV footage from the hotel is being collected as part of the probe. (HT File)

The accused has been identified as Rohit Sood of New Deep Nagar, Civil Lines. The police have registered a case against him under Sections 74 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 75 (sexual harassment), 127 (wrongful confinement), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The woman stated in her complaint that she came to Ludhiana with her mother and younger brother and stayed in a hotel in the city. The family had called the astrologer to perform a remedy for her brother. During the session, the accused allegedly sent her mother out to fetch some items and sent her brother away on some pretext.

She then claimed that the astrologer told her he could see “two ghosts” possessing her body and that he could help her get rid of them. After making this claim, he allegedly began touching her inappropriately, sexually harassed her and tried to rape her. The woman said she somehow managed to escape from the room.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Davinder Singh, investigating officer, said a case has been registered on the basis of the woman’s statement. He said the matter is being investigated and CCTV footage from the hotel is being collected as part of the probe.

Rape bid on 5-year-old, youth arrested

The Daba police have arrested a 20-year-old labourer for allegedly trying to rape a five-year-old girl from his neighbourhood after she entered his house to retrieve a ball that had fallen from her rooftop onto his premises. The accused has been identified as Akashdeep Singh of Guru Nanak Nagar.

The minor’s mother mentioned in her complaint that the girl was playing on the rooftop when her ball accidentally fell into the neighbour’s house. The child went to the accused’s house to get it back. According to the complaint, the accused took her inside a room, following which the victim’s mother heard her cries. As the complainant rushed to the room, she found the accused trying to sexually assault the child. With the help of family members and neighbours, the woman caught the accused and handed him over to the police.

ASI Surinder Kumar, the investigating officer, said the labourer has been arrested as Section 65(2) (rape of a woman under twelve years of age) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 6 of the POCSO Act have been slapped.