Abhishek Mishra.
Mathura: A startling case of sexual exploitation and blackmail under the guise of spirituality has emerged from the Govardhan area of Mathura, where police have arrested a man posing as a ‘sadhu’ (holy person) who allegedly used online religious discourses and bhajan-kirtan sessions to target educated young women employed in well-paying jobs, officials said on Wednesday.
According to the police, the accused is a qualified mechanical engineer who allegedly lured women through spiritual gatherings, administered intoxicants to them, sexually assaulted them, and later blackmailed them using objectionable photographs and videos that he secretly recorded.
The case came to light after the sister of one of the victims, who was residing in a rented accommodation within the jurisdiction of the Govardhan police station, submitted a written complaint to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shlok Kumar.
As per the complaint, the victim is a native of Chhattisgarh and a third-semester B.Sc. Nursing student. She had travelled to Mathura on May 15 to celebrate her birthday with her sister, who was undergoing an internship at IOCL in the Radhakund area and was living as a tenant in the house owned by the alleged ‘sadhu’.
