Hyderabad (Telangana): A self-styled spiritual healer was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a newly married woman on the pretext of ridding her of the evil eye. According to official sources, the alleged sexual assault took place in July this year. However, the incident came to light recently after the victim's sister lodged a complaint. Police began a hunt for the accused, who had managed to escape to Maharashtra.
Officials sources said that the 21-year-old woman from the Hussaini Alam area, who got married to a man from the Talabkatta Bhavani Nagar area almost three months ago complained about ill health a few days after her marriage. Her husband initially took her to a 'baba' in Barkatpura for spiritual treatment. But, the woman's health did not improve. She was then taken to tantric Mazhar Khan in Old Basti Bandlaguda Rahmatnagar.
According to the woman, the accused visited her house and said she was under the negative influence of five evil forces and thus required treatment. He asked the couple to visit his house in Bandlaguda. Khan then asked the woman's husband to tie a thread around her waist. The accused then asked the woman's husband to wait outside. On the pretext of treatment, the accused sexually assaulted the woman, who was blindfolded. He warned her of dire consequences if she revealed his misdeeds to anyone.
The woman said that she told about her ordeal to her family members, but they locked her in a room. The woman then sought the help of her sister, who lodged a complaint on August 19. The then Inspector Amjad Ali immediately registered a case and started an investigation. During the investigation, cops came to know that the accused had escaped to Maharashtra.
