Woman sexually harassed, blackmailed by neighbour

According to the police, the woman, a resident of Farrukhnagar, is a government employee. She alleged that the man, who is married and has a daughter, contacted her about four years ago.

A 27-year-old woman was allegedly sexually harassed and blackmailed by her neighbour, who had been forcing her to marry him for the past four years, in Farrukhnagar, the police said on Sunday. Police have registered an FIR against the man and some of his family members, and are investigating the case.

On August 1 this year, the suspect and two of his accomplices allegedly tried to kidnap the victim, police said. (HT image)

According to the police, the woman, a resident of Farrukhnagar, is a government employee. She alleged that the man, who is married and has a daughter, contacted her about four years ago. According to the FIR, in 2015, he allegedly clicked the woman’s pictures without her knowledge, while she was changing clothes at her house, and forced her into having physical relations with him. Later, the same year, he allegedly took her to an Arya Samaj temple in Delhi and forced her to pose for a picture and made her sign marriage documents.

“He used to send me inappropriate messages on WhatsApp. In 2015, when I would go to college in Gurugram, he used to come there and try to strike a conversation with me. He threatened to kill himself when I refused to talk to him. He told me that he would divorce his wife and marry me,” the victim said in the FIR.

She said in her police complaint that in 2015 when her younger brother died, she went through depression. The suspect man allegedly took her for treatment and told her that she was possessed by spirits.

“In 2017, he took me to different maulvis in Tauru. In one instance, I was taken inside a basement, where the maulvi advised me to have physical relations with him (the suspect),” she said in the FIR. She further said that in 2018 she allegedly met another maulvi who was the suspect’s friend. He too allegedly told her to marry the suspect. She alleged that the maulvi sent her text messages and came to her house to perform “black magic”.

On August 1 this year, the suspect and two of his accomplices allegedly tried to kidnap the victim, police said.

In her complaint, the woman said, “I managed to escape and ran towards my office. Later during the day, he came to my house and told my father and brother that I was married to him. He then assaulted both of them. In 2017, when I received a scholarship worth ₹88,000, I gave him around ₹35,000, which he has not returned to date.”

Madhu Kumari, assistant sub-inspector, Farrukhnagar police station, said the police are verifying the sequence of events as detailed by the victim in her complaint. “We have registered a case and are investigating the matter,” she added.

A case was registered against the suspects under sections 34 (common intention), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 385 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code at Farrukhnagar police station on Sunday.