Man held for rape, forcing 21-year-old to cut herself

LUCKNOW: A 25-year-old nursing student in Lucknow was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly raping his 21-year-old batchmate and forcing her to cut herself with a blade, police said.

Lucknow ADCP (west) Chiranjeev Nath Sinha said the accused, Avendra Sonwali, and the woman were pursuing a nursing course at a private institute and had recently joined an internship programme in Mal. In her complaint, the woman alleged that Sonwali visited her at her rented accommodation and shot obscene videos at knifepoint, the officer said. “The accused made a video call to the woman and threatened to kill her and her parents if she did not marry him. He forced her to cut herself with a blade,” Sinha said.

Based on the woman’s statement, an FIR was filed against the man, who has been arrested, at the Mal police station under sections 354-B (assault or criminal force with intent to disrobe or compelling her to be naked) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code and section 67A of the IT Act (sharing the girl’s objectionable video with her parents). Section 376 of IPC (rape) was added on the basis of the woman’s statements before the police and judicial magistrate, Sinha said.