A US national was raped in a house in a village in Karnataka’s Kodagu district after he was forced to consume a mixed drink, police said on Tuesday, adding that two people have been arrested in connection with the case.
The victim, a woman residing in Washington and visiting India, was staying in a house in the village of Kota, according to a previous report, citing police sources.
Shocking allegations
According to the complaint, the accused, a resident of Jharkhand, allegedly sexually assaulted her after giving her a drink laced with the substances, police said. Another person arrested in the case is the homeowner who allegedly tried to quell the incident.
The earlier HT report quoted a police officer involved in the investigation as saying, “The victim alleged that she was given a drink mixed with intoxicants, after which she was assaulted. Based on her complaint and supporting evidence, we registered a case and detained the accused.”
Police said the owner cut off the victim’s Wi-Fi service for three days, preventing her from contacting anyone or seeking help. “Prima facie, there is evidence to suggest that the homeowner tried to restrict the victim’s communications. His role is under investigation and he has also been arrested,” the officer added.
American officials communicate with India, and Middle East Airlines intervenes
The victim was able to leave the house after three days, and informed the owner that she was heading to Mysuru, police said, adding that she then contacted authorities in the United States, after which American officials contacted Indian police via email.
Both the accused and the homeowner were remanded in judicial custody until May 3 by a local court.
The officer said: “Based on communications from the US embassy authorities, we initiated official procedures. The case was registered immediately, and investigation teams were deployed.”
The incident has also reached the Ministry of External Affairs, where officials from Delhi and Chennai have contacted the police to review the situation and coordinate further action. The district administration has so far refrained from providing detailed public data, due to the sensitivity of the issue.
Police officers said further investigations are underway, including forensic examination and digital evidence collection. They said a thorough and impartial investigation will be conducted and all angles, including possible collusion, will be examined.
Regarding the alleged crime, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said that the police arrested the accused as soon as the matter came to light, according to news agency ANI.
He added that further measures will be taken in accordance with the law, adding that such incidents do not send a good message about the state or society.
He said, “Especially when strangers or foreigners are involved… It seems that after the incident there were attempts to cover it up. But once the police obtained information, they secured it and obtained details…”.
