BERHAMPUR: Ganjam police on Wednesday arrested a mason on charges of raping, assaulting and blackmailing a 26-year-old woman labourer in Digapahandi block The accused is 31-year-old Shankar Naik of Chintakhali village under Sanakhemundi block. While Naik worked as a mason, the survivor was engaged as a daily wage labourer under him.
In her complaint, the woman claimed that the accused established physical relations with her by threatening and intimidating her while she was working with him. She further alleged that he secretly recorded explicit photographs and videos of her without her knowledge and later used them to blackmail her.
Subsequently, she severed all contact with him and stopped answering his phone calls. However, Shankar reportedly continued contacting her from different mobile numbers and pressurised her to meet him.
The complainant alleged that she had gone to the Aahaar centre at Digapahandi bus stand for lunch on Wednesday afternoon when the accused reached the spot and threatened to circulate her explicit pictures on social media if she refused to continue the relationship with him.
The survivor further claimed that the accused forcibly took her to an under-construction house, where he raped her. She also accused him of physically assaulting her, threatening to kill her, and claiming that he would die by suicide if she refused to maintain the relationship.
During the assault, she sustained multiple injuries on her body. Hearing her cries for help, local residents rushed to the spot, rescued her and took her to a hospital. They also detained Shankar and later handed him over to the police.
After receiving treatment, the survivor lodged a complaint in Digapahandi police station. Basing on her complaint, police filed a case and arrested the accused. Shankar was produced in court on Thursday and remanded in judicial custody.
