Yashodhara Bangera
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)
Mangaluru, Nov 6: Moodbidri police on Wednesday November 5 arrested a man on charges of repeatedly raping a 19-year-old girl at Munneru of Padumarnadu here, and threatening to kill her.
The accused has been identified as Dayananda Hegde (45) of Navodaya Nivasa of Munneru.
It is said that on some day during the first week of July this year, the girl had gone to wash clothes at a pond near her house, when the accused allegedly molested her and threatened to kill her if she screamed. He then dragged her to the forest and allegedly raped her. He raped her several times after that and the girl had kept quiet out of fear that he might kill her, it is learnt.
On October 31, he allegedly waylaid her when she was going to a beedi branch and dragged her to the forest and again raped her. Those who had gone to forest to fetch firewood witnessed the incident and informed about it to her family members. Finally, mustering courage, the girl lodged a complaint against the accused in Moodbidri police station.
Circle inspector Anantapadmanabha registered the case and further investigations are on.
Accused Dayananda Hegde is engaged in buying milk for Bannadka Milk Producers' Society. He lives with his wife and a daughter who is of marriageable age.