Agartala (Tripura) [India], May 18 : A social media content creator and mobile shop owner was arrested by police in Tripura on charges of allegedly raping a tribal woman after allegedly luring her with the promise of gifting an expensive iPhone, police said on Sunday.
According to Officer-in-Charge of Amtali Police Station, Inspector Paritosh Das, the accused was formally arrested late Saturday night under Sections 65(1) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Paritosh Das said to ANI that the accused, a resident of the Kamalpur area in Dhalai district, allegedly came in contact with the victim through Facebook a few months ago. Gradually, the two started communicating regularly on social media.
As per the complaint lodged by the victim, the accused allegedly persuaded her to meet him in Agartala and promised to gift her a costly iPhone. The woman reportedly travelled to Agartala by train on Saturday morning to purchase medicines.
Police said that after she arrived at Badharghat Railway Station, the accused reached the spot on a high-end motorcycle and allegedly took her to a hotel near the station instead of the location initially mentioned.
The victim alleged that the accused forcibly raped her inside the hotel room and physically assaulted her when she resisted. She further claimed that before leaving the hotel, the accused took away her mobile phone and later threatened her with dire consequences.
After escaping from the hotel, the survivor approached the West Agartala Women Police Station and lodged a written complaint against the accused.
Acting swiftly on the complaint, a police team led by Inspector Shiuli Das conducted a raid at the accused's mobile phone shop near Laxminarayan Bari area in Agartala on Saturday night and detained him.
Police sources said the accused owns two mobile phone shops in Agartala, including outlets near Siddhi Ashram and Laxminarayan Bari, and is also known locally as a social media content creator. He is reportedly married and has children, and was residing in the Gangail Road area of the city.
Police further stated that after being brought to the police station, the accused allegedly tried to intimidate officers by referring to his influence and connections.
Later, he was handed over to the Amtali Police Station, where he was formally arrested around 2 AM on Sunday.
Speaking to ANI, Amtali Police Station OC Inspector Paritosh Das confirmed that the accused had been produced before the court.