A US national alleged sexual assault at a homestay in Karnataka, leading to the arrest of a worker and the property owner.
The owner allegedly cut off Wi-Fi for three days to prevent the victim from seeking help.
The victim later contacted the United States Embassy, after which police registered a case and launched an investigation.
A US woman has accused a man from Jharkhand of allegedly sexually assaulting her at a homestay in Karnataka. The complaint has led to the arrest of two individuals—the main accused, a worker at the property, and the homestay owner, who has been booked for allegedly attempting to suppress the incident. Both have been remanded to judicial custody until May 3, 2026.
The incident took place at a homestay in Kutta village in Kodagu district, where the US national was staying. According to the complaint, the accused, identified as Vrijesh Kumar, was working at the homestay and allegedly sexually assaulted her during her stay.
Police said the woman was initially unable to seek help, as the homestay owner allegedly disconnected Wi-Fi services at the property for nearly three days. Investigators believe this was done to isolate the victim and prevent her from contacting anyone outside.
After being unable to communicate for days, the woman reportedly managed to leave the premises by convincing the owner that she was travelling to Mysuru. Once she regained access, she contacted officials at the United States Embassy and informed them about the incident.
Following this, US officials reached out to local police authorities via email, urging immediate action. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case at the Kutta police station and launched an investigation.
The homestay owner has been charged for attempting to cover up the incident, while the worker has been booked as the main accused in the alleged assault.
Speaking to NDTV, the Kodagu Superintendent of Police confirmed that a case of sexual assault of a foreign national has been registered against the accused. Both the accused have been arrested by the police, and further investigation in the case is underway.
[VP]
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