Bengaluru: NGO worker rapes mentally challenged woman, arrested

Bengaluru: A 32-year-old man who worked with an NGO in JP Nagar was arrested for sexually assaulting a 20-year-old mentally challenged student.

The accused, Vadivelu, an attender at the NGO, was arrested by the JP Nagar police based on the complaint filed by its Director. He was later released on bail by the court as the victim’s parents refused to give a statement against the accused.

According to the complaint, on April 11, the NGO which looks after specially-abled people and destitute children, sent its Vadivelu along with two others to an office nearby to carry out painting work.

After finishing the work, the trio returned at around 12.30 noon. As the final touch up work was pending, the NGO management assigned Vadivelu for the task.

As Vadivelu was painting at the office, the victim along with her friend went to him and offered buttermilk. Vadivelu asked the victim to stay back and sent her friend away.

“Vadivelu took her to the kitchen and made her sit on a chair and switched off the lights. After a few minutes, Gayathri, who works as a cleaning staff in the NGO, went to the office where Vadivelu was working and told him that she has been sent to carry out cleaning work. Instead of allowing her to clean the kitchen, he told her to clean the first floor,” the complainant stated.

When Gayathri returned to kitchen after 15 minutes the lights were on and the victim was adjusting her clothes. Sensing something fishy, Gayathri informed the NGO management about the incident, the complaint added.

The next day, the NGO management summoned Vadivelu and questioned him about the incident and later suspended him. The management then informed the victim’s parents about the incident and urged her mother to lodge a police complaint, but she refused to do so.

On April 16, the management convened a meeting in which the victim told the management that she was suffering from abdominal pain ever since she met Vadivelu. The management then decided to file a complaint based on which the accused was arrested.

“We tried to convince the victim’s mother to record her statement. But she doesn't want any case. She even fought with the NGO’s director for filing one. However, we are trying to persuade her to file a complaint and allow her daughter to undergo the test. It could help us in the filing of the chargesheet,” the police said.