Bengaluru widow allegedly raped, blackmailed by temple staff; chief priest accused of aiding assault

A 40-year-old man from Kerala has been arrested for allegedly raping and blackmailing a 38-year-old woman using her nude photos and videos, the police said on Monday. The accused, identified as Arun T A, hails from Thrissur and worked as an assistant to a temple priest, news agency PTI reported.

The woman, who is from Bengaluru, informed the police officials that she had approached the temple seeking spiritual help. She visited the temple in March with three friends after reading about it online. Arun and the chief priest allegedly convinced her that she was under a ‘curse’ and promised that certain rituals could help improve her life.

The woman, who has been raising her two sons alone since her husband’s death in 2016, was going through financial and personal difficulties. She agreed to the rituals and initially paid Rs 24,000. When she said she failed to pay more, Arun told her he would take care of the remaining costs himself, TOI reported.

However, Arun allegedly started calling her repeatedly, making inappropriate comments and sending her romantic messages. In her police complaint, she said he often told her that she must obey him and insisted that she inform him before visiting the temple, so he could book a room for her.