Image used for representational purpose only

BENGALURU: A 26-year-old software engineer has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman minutes after she celebrated her husband’s birthday on Sunday midnight in an apartment in Kasavanahalli area, near Bellandur .

Nilabh Nayan, the accused, is a resident of HSR Layout and works as a solutions management consultant with an IT major in Electronics City . Police said the 24-year-old woman is married to another techie.

On Sunday, the woman decided to celebrate her husband’s birthday and the couple went to a sports and entertainment centre in Kasavanahalli. Her husband’s four friends, including Nayan, joined them and they began partying. Subsequently, all of them went to another friend’s house to continue the birthday bash.

“I was too tired as we had played various games at the sports arena before we went to our friend’s house. I went to the bedroom to rest for some time, while my husband and his friends were busy chatting in the balcony. The room was dimly lit. After some time I realised a man was undressing me and trying to assault me. On realising it wasn’t my husband, I tried to raise an alarm. But Nayan covered my mouth with his hand and continued to assault me,” the woman told police.

She screamed for help

The woman pinched Nayan hard, freed herself from his clutches and screamed for help, police added. Responding to her cries, her husband and other friends rushed to the bedroom and started banging on the door as it was locked from inside. As Nayan ran into the bathroom, the woman opened the door. While everyone was trying to figure out what happened, Nayan fled the scene.

Preliminary investigation revealed Nayan, who is from Bihar , was also chatting with his friends before he went to answer nature’s call. He was on his way to the bathroom attached to the bedroom, when he saw the woman lying on the bed, police said.

“We arrested the accused on Monday night and produced him before court on Tuesday after completion of certain procedures, including medical tests. He has been remanded in judicial custody,” a police officer said. The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. “We have registered a case of rape against Nayan based on the complaint filed by the woman. Further probe is under way,” a police officer said.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

