BERHAMPUR: Ganjam police on Wednesday arrested a 47-year-old man from Digapahandi on charges of sexually assaulting a woman for years under the false promise of marriage.
The accused, G Ayodi Reddy of Gokarnapur village under Digapahandi block, was working in a CRPF mess in Nabarangpur district.
Police said the accused and the 43-year-old survivor, who is from the same village, were in a relationship since 2003. They developed a physical relationship and had reportedly planned to get married.
However, according to the complaint filed by the woman, the accused later cut off contact with her and married another woman. Recently, Reddy reportedly called her to a lodge in Digapahandi and sexually assaulted her. She also accused him of repeated sexual exploitation at different places prior to the recent incident.
The survivor said she remained silent for years due to social stigma and fear of humiliation. She also alleged harassment and threats from the accused and his wife.
She further alleged that last week, when she urged Reddy to marry her, he called her to an isolated location on the outskirts of Digapahandi, where he abused her and threatened to kill her. Subsequently, she lodged a complaint with the police, following which Reddy was arrested.