Jabalpur, Dec 27: A 22-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a clerk of a state government-run university on its campus in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur city on the pretext of providing her a job, police said on December 27.
Police arrested Durga Shankar Singerha (58), an upper division clerk (UDC), and Mukesh Sen, a peon, on December 25 in connection with the incident, which allegedly took place at Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University.
According to the police, the survivor, a resident of the Tilwara area, came across information on social media about contractual vacancies at the university around 20 days ago. While seeking further details, she found a telephone number of the vice-chancellor’s office and contacted it, following which Singerha allegedly received her call.
Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar said Singerha informed the woman about the vacancies and asked her to visit the university with relevant documents. She met him on campus the next day, where he allegedly assured her that he could help her secure a job after speaking to the vice-chancellor and asked her to remain in contact.
Police said Singerha continued to meet the woman on several occasions in the city, repeatedly claiming that the recruitment process was underway and that an interview would be scheduled soon.
On December 25, Singerha allegedly called the woman to the university, saying an interview was likely to be held shortly. He then asked her to go to the house of Mukesh Sen, located on the university campus. After some conversation, Sen allegedly left the room and bolted the door from outside.
“The woman has alleged in her complaint that Singerha raped her despite her protests,” the ASP said.
After the alleged assault, the accused reportedly dropped the woman outside the campus and threatened her with defamation if she disclosed the incident, while promising her a job if she remained silent, police said.
The woman later informed her family and lodged a complaint at Adhartal police station. Police said both accused were arrested from their residences within hours of receiving the complaint.
They were produced before a court on December 26 and remanded to judicial custody, the ASP added.
