VARANASI: A sadhu was arrested on Thursday for allegedly raping a 40-year-old flood victim at an ashram in Varanasi.

The woman in her complaint said Anil Kumar Tiwari alias Abhayanand assaulted her on the pretext of ‘spiritual treatment’ at the Yamuneshwar Ashram on Wednesday night. She had taken shelter at the ashram on August 28 after her rented house in Sujabad area was inundated by the flooded Ganga.

SSP A K Mishra said, “During interrogation, Abhayanand admitted to making physical contact but with her consent.”