Karnataka Police have arrested a temple priest from Kerala and are actively searching for a second in connection with the alleged blackmail and attempted rape of a Bengaluru woman. The arrested individual has been identified as Arun, a priest at the Peringottukara temple in Kerala. Authorities are currently pursuing Unni Damodaran, believed to be the main accused and a senior priest at the same temple.
The victim, who was reportedly struggling with financial difficulties, had sought spiritual guidance at the Peringottukara temple after friends’ recommendations and watching promotional videos about its rituals.
Upon her visit, she was introduced to Arun and subsequently to Unni Damodaran. Police reports indicate that the priests gained her trust before initiating a series of disturbing WhatsApp video calls. Arun is accused of making a nude video call to the woman and demanding she reciprocate. When she refused, he allegedly threatened to harm her children through black magic.
“He told me someone had done black magic on my family. He said he could reverse it, but I had to follow his instructions,” the woman told police in her statement.
Arun, acting as a translator due to the victim’s inability to speak Malayalam, convinced her to pay ₹24,000 for a “special ritual” and maintained persistent contact.
Terrified by the threats, the woman traveled to Kerala for the purported ritual. There, the two priests allegedly took her to a forest area and attempted to force her into “unnatural sex,” claiming it was part of the ritual. The woman managed to escape and subsequently filed a complaint at the Bellandur Police Station in Bengaluru.
An officer involved in the case stated, “She was terrified and shocked. We are taking her complaint very seriously. One priest is under arrest, and the search for the second is ongoing.”
Police confirmed that further investigation is underway, and the survivor is receiving support.
