A man accused of repeatedly raping and assaulting a woman under the cover of performing an exorcism has been arrested in Bengaluru after a month on the run. Police at the Koppa and NR Pura stations took Satish Patra into custody, and they are investigating the case.
Patra claimed to be able to drive out evil spirits and used this to sexually assault the woman on several occasions. The alleged incidents took place near the Durga Parameshwari Temple in Meekanahadlu village in Koppa taluk and at Kuduregundi in Thirthahalli. The woman said he took her to these places for exorcism, and after that he sexually assaulted her. Religion and fear of supernatural forces have been the main reasons for the accusation of controlling women. The process is still ongoing, and the accused must be given due process and justice.
Three cases were registered at the NR Pura and Koppa police stations, according to a complaint. The NR Pura case was registered under legislation for the prevention and eradication of inhuman evil practices and black magic, while a rape case was registered at the Koppa police station.
Patra went into hiding after the cases were registered against him. But investigators were able to find him in JP Nagar in Bengaluru, where Koppa police arrested him after a search. His arrest is a significant development for the investigation, which was complicated by his disappearance. The investigation is ongoing, and police will continue to investigate the nature of the crime, said the police.
The accused had also been criticised for another disturbing case involving a minor girl. Patra had made the girl drink chicken blood in the name of defeating evil spirits. Videos of the incident spread on social media in many coastal and Malnad areas of Karnataka, which made people angry. It was the latest case that raised the alarm about practices that may be based on superstition and put vulnerable people, such as women and children, at risk of humiliation and coercion or abuse. But allegations of separate incidents should be looked at independently, and criminal responsibility must be established in the courts.
Police officials have also reported that police information was leaked to Patra, giving him information on police activities. They say Kantheesh, a constable in NR Pura police station, was passing on information on police movements. The accused was able to change locations after receiving advance information about police operations. The alleged leak is a serious issue because it could sabotage the investigation and allow a wanted suspect to remain beyond the reach of police. We believe the constable's conduct needs to be investigated by the department; we cannot hold it to a judgment of guilt.
The superintendent of police Jitendra Kumar Dayma suspended constable Kantheesh and started the investigation against him following information leakage and dereliction of duty. This suspension indicates to me the seriousness of the department’s approach to the breach of duty. We shall investigate whether confidential information was deliberately handed over to the accused and whether it was so much that it directly affected the police search. Patra’s arrest in Bengaluru and the suspension of the constable have added to the case, which concerns sexual violence, superstition and interference with a police investigation.
The case highlights the necessity to protect people against individuals who rely on fear, religious claims, or promises of supernatural remedies to exploit them. People who are subjected to sexual violence or coercion should be able to approach the police without fear of stigma or intimidation. In such cases, we will have to establish the facts, analyse the evidence and follow the legal process in the cases registered against the accused. And we will continue the investigation to get justice for the complainant, to find the truth of the allegations, and to hold people to account at all levels of wrongdoing.
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