Kerala temple official accused of sexual assault
A 40-year-old temple assistant from Kerala's Thrissur district, Arun T A, has been arrested for allegedly raping and blackmailing a 38-year-old widow from Bengaluru.
Arun reportedly convinced the woman she was under a black magic curse when she visited the temple for help, then forced her into rituals and harassed her with explicit messages and video calls.
Victim filed complaint on May 29
Arun allegedly threatened to leak a nude video of the victim if she didn't give in to his demands.
The first assault happened at the temple on May 10 while the chief priest Unni Damodaran stood guard; another incident followed on May 21 in a secluded area.
After opening up to her family, the victim filed a police complaint on May 29.
Arun was arrested on June 13, while police are still searching for Damodaran.
The victim's identity remains protected as per Supreme Court guidelines.