The accused was arrested on Saturday afternoon, police added. (Representational)
An 18-year-old woman was allegedly raped in UP by a 52-year-old man in the name of driving away evil spirits from her body, police said on Saturday.
The accused was arrested on Saturday afternoon, they added.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Meenakshi Katyayan said the woman's family had come here from Mirzapur a few days ago to visit Sitamarhi where Motilal, 52, introduced himself as an occultist and told the woman's parents that their daughter was possessed by a ghost.
Motilal claimed he could drive away the ghost from her body through exorcism and charged the family Rs 4,000 for the ritual the SP said.
After the woman's father took her to Motilal on Thursday evening, the accused took her on a bike to a room behind a temple where he allegedly raped her, the SP said.
Motilal brought the woman out after three hours and asked her to visit him again the next day and also threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the incident, he said.
However, the victim narrated the incident to her family, after which her father lodged a complaint against the accused, Meenakshi Katyayan added.
Based on the complaint, a case under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant sections, the SP said.
The medical examination of the woman confirmed that she was raped and following her written statement in the court, the accused Motilal was arrested on Saturday afternoon, he added.
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