Man Arrested in Raigarh for Kidnapping, Raping Dalit Woman on False Promise of Marriage
Raipur: Gharghoda police have arrested 20-year-old Lalit Lohar alias Lalit Agariya, a resident of Pusalda village, for allegedly kidnapping and raping a 19-year-old Dalit woman after luring her with a false promise of marriage. The accused has been sent to judicial remand.
Raigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Shashi Mohan Singh said the district police follow a zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women and marginalized communities. He directed all police stations to ensure swift investigation and strict legal action in such cases.
According to police, the victim met the accused about a year ago while he was working at a fly ash brick kiln. Lalit allegedly developed a relationship with her by promising marriage and later exploited her. On March 8, 2026, he allegedly raped the woman in a village orchard and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident.
On May 11, 2026, the accused reportedly arrived at the victim’s house around 11 pm, forcibly took her on his motorcycle, and brought her to Raigarh, where he kept her at a rented house with his parents. Despite his parents advising him to send her back home, the accused allegedly kept her confined for a week.
He later took the woman to his maternal grandmother’s house in Odisha, where he introduced her as his wife. The victim managed to contact her family using another person’s mobile phone. Her relatives reached Odisha on May 28, 2026, and brought her back home.
The complainant stated that she delayed approaching the police because the accused continuously threatened her with serious consequences. She finally lodged a complaint at Gharghoda Police Station on May 31, 2026.
Following a tip-off received by Inspector Kumar Gaurav Sahu, the police tracked down and arrested the accused. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime. Dharamjaigarh SDOP Siddhant Tiwari completed the arrest formalities before producing him before the court.
Police have registered a case under Sections 64(2)(m), 127(4), 140(3), and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
