Team Herald
PERNEM/ PANJIM: The coastal village of Pernem was rocked by the rape of a foreigner by a yoga teacher.
A 32-year-old American woman was allegedly raped by a 38-year-old yoga teacher under the pretext of giving her a “tantrik massage” in Pernem taluka.
Following the complaint lodged by the woman, Pernem Police on Tuesday arrested the accused identified as Pratik Agarwal son of Krishna Kumar Agarwal, aged 38, resident of Exotic Residency phase II, Siolim.
North Goa SP Kartik Kashyap said, “We have arrested Agarwal and further investigations are in progress.” He said that the accused has confessed.
“According to the woman, currently on a work visa in Goa, the incident occurred on February 2 at Agarwal’s School of Holistic Yoga and Ayurveda at Korgao village, where she had gone for a yogic massage,” Police Inspector Rahul Parab said.
According to the complainant, the incident happened when she had gone for a tantrik massage .
On the pretext of giving her a tantric massage, Agarwal allegedly directed her to remove her clothes. After doing the same, he himself removed his clothes and allegedly sexually assaulted and raped her, police said.
He said the complainant has alleged that Agarwal had also raped a Canadian girl who had come for a massage.
“The accused has been arrested and produced before a local court which has remanded him in police custody for eight days,” Parab said.
Pernem police have registered a case under Sections 376, 354 A IPC. Further investigation is in progress.
