A police constable has been arrested in Lucknow for allegedly sexually assaulting a research scholar from Gautam Buddha Nagar on the pretext of marriage.

Police officials said the accused constable, Vivek Singh, was arrested from near Avadh Bus Stand on the Ayodhya Road.

He was trying to escape after an FIR was lodged against him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 376 (rape) and 383 (blackmailing), and certain sections of the Information Technology Act for misusing technology to harass and blackmail the woman at Vibhuti Khand police station.

Vibhuti Khand station inspector in-charge (IIC) said the constable, a resident of Mathura, and the complainant met for the first time nearly seven years ago in 2016.

The complainant alleged that the constable had promised to marry her and made sexual relations with her.

The constable also took objectionable videos and photos of her.

According to the complainant, the constable married another woman in December last year.

As she objected to the marriage, the constable allegedly threatened her to make her private photos public.

The police official said the constable was suspended soon after the FIR was lodged against him. [IANS/NS]