Odisha pastor accused of raping pregnant woman after drugging husband: Police

Kalahandi additional SP Tara Jasmine Guria said a case was registered at Sadar police station and the survivor has been examined by doctors

Published on: Aug 13, 2026, 21:44:59 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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The Kalahandi district police are looking for a pastor accused of raping an eight-month pregnant woman after drugging her husband, police said on Thursday.

Accident or crime scene cordon tape, police line do not cross. It is nighttime, emergency lights of police cars flashing blue, red and white in the background (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The survivor, a 20-year-old woman, filed a complaint at Bhawanipatna Sadar police station alleging that the accused, Jinesh Kumar, invited her and her husband to his home on August 7 on the pretext that he could help cure her of recurring health issues through prayer.

Kalahandi additional superintendent of police Tara Jasmine Guria said a case was registered at Sadar police station and the survivor has been examined by doctors.

“The investigation is underway and a team has been formed to arrest the accused. We will arrest him soon,” said

In her complaint to the police, the woman alleged that Kumar offered alcohol to her husband and took her to another room on the pretext of conducting a special prayer when her husband fell unconscious. He sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill them both if they disclosed the incident.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

Kalahandi District

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