Bengaluru: Event manager held for trapping, blackmailing, raping models

[email protected] (Bangalore Mirror)
February 8, 2017

Bengaluru, Feb 8: A Bengaluru-based event manager has been arrested on charges of drugging, raping and blackmailing a young model. After arresting Pragdish Kapoor, the police also found several videos and photos of other models on his phone and laptop, which he had allegedly been using to blackmail and rape the women.Master

Kapoor was busted by Sakshi (name changed), a 17-year-old model from Mumbai, now based in Bengaluru. The class 11 student, who also took up modelling assignments on the side, was contacted by Kapoor recently. He claimed he hired models for fashion shows and was looking to get Sakshi for an assignment.

"We exchanged numbers as he came across as a professional contact. But soon, he started calling up regularly, insisting that we meet to discuss work. By February 5, he had become extremely persistent, claiming he was near my house and wanted to speak with me. My mother dropped me till his car. She spoke with him and he reassured her. He then took me to his place in Ramamurthy Nagar," said Sakshi.

"As soon as we entered his house, he locked the door and stopped pretending. He directly asked me to have sex with him. I was shocked and told him I wasn't well and wanted to leave. But he forcibly made me drink a glass of milk, which made me drowsy. He then raped and videographed me. When I asked him to delete it, he said he would do so if I sleep with him again," said Sakshi.

According to the young woman, he then sent her back home in a cab. She told a close friend about the incident, who took her to the commissioner's office and a case was registered.

As soon as the FIR was lodged, the Ramamurthy Nagar police started looking for Kapoor, and within the next few hours, he was arrested. But when the police officials started questioning him, they came to know that Sakshi wasn't an exception. He had been regularly trapping and raping models in the city. The evidence was all over his phone and laptop.

A senior police officer, who is part of the investigation, said they were going deeper into the case to find out how many others were similarly exploited. The case, the official said, brings to the fore the dangers women in the fashion industry face from predators. "Our investigation in this case has shown that there are several others like Sakshi who are sexually exploited and blackmailed," said the officer.

The police have registered a case of rape and have also invoked the POCSO Act against Kapoor because the model is a minor.

Comments

shaji
 - 
Wednesday, 8 Feb 2017

Cut private organ of this rapist so that he can feel the pain. Less punishment will encourage him and like minded people to carry on such things. its also unfortunate that girls are tendign towards fashion world to get popularity and money. How come her mother let her go with one unkown person alone. May be her mother also looking to earn money through her daughter. Girls are giving chance to such people to rape her. Girls are also equally responsible for this. Weak law and punishment is encouraging people for rape. There should be capital punishment.

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News Network
February 11,2020

Belagavi, Feb 11: Tension prevailed for sometime here after a few villagers spotted four country-made pistols disposed in the garbage site by the road between Markandey Nagar – Waghavade village on Sunday. Police rushed to the spot and seized the arms which are believed to be of Portugal era.

Sources said some villagers noticed a pistol lying along with heaps of refuse. They informed Bhavakanna Patil, the owner of the agricultural field adjacent to the garbage site. Patil and the villagers checked the garbage and found three more pistols totalling four.

Police said the pistols are about 50 to 60 years old. Going by their condition, all rusted, it is believed that they were left unused for a long time. The Belagavi rural police who have filed a suo motu case related to the incident are getting into the skin of case to trace the owners and those who disposed them in the garbage pit. 

According to preliminary investigation, it is learnt that such pistols were in vogue during Portugal rule in Goa. There are chances that those who inherited the arms may have disposed it for the fear of possessing weapon illegally. The chances of some notorious people who reside in the vicinity near Waghavade and surrounding areas, where burglaries and dacoity are frequently reported, disposing the arms due to the fear of police also cannot be ignored. Police Commissioner Lokesh Kumar was not available for comments.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 20,2020

Mangaluru, Jul 20: Former Union Minister B Janardhana Poojary has urged the people not to be afraid of coronavirus and lead a healthy lifestyle as he was discharged from hospital after completely recovering from covid-19.

The 83-year-old Billawa stalwart was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city for over two weeks as he was tested positive for the coronavirus. Today he was discharged from the hospital. 

“There is no need to be worried about the covid-19. People should consume nutritious and immunity boosting food and lead a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

He also urged the people to follow all necessary guidelines such as maintaining physical distance, wearing masks and washing hands frequently to prevent the spread of the virus.

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News Network
July 26,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 26: Paying tributes to the martyrs of Kargil war on its 21st anniversary, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday said his government always stood by the soldiers and families of those who laid down their lives to protect the borders of the country.

"The government is always committed to the welfare of the soldiers. Karnataka has formed a separate department for the welfare of the soldiers and their families. We always stand with the families of the martyred soldiers," he said. He was addressing soldiers after paying tributes to the martyrs of the Kargil war at an official function organised on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas at the National Military Memorial Park in the city by the Sainik Welfare and Resettlement Department under the state Home Department. 

Yediyurappa described as a symbol of India's valour and sacrifices the Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed to commemorate its victory over Pakistan in the war that ended on July 26, 1999 with recapture of the territory in Kargil. He said the state government has given due compensation to the families of the Kargil martyrs and the soldiers who were injured.

Recalling the conflict, Yediyurappa said Pakistan had set its eyes on grabbing the vast terrains of Kargil and Drass sector in Jammu and Kashmir but the Indian soldiers successfully fought a deadly battle at a height of 17,000 feet where the temperature goes up to minus 30 degrees celsius.

"The sacrifices of our soldiers will remain etched in our memories forever. The tale of the 527 soldiers, who sacrificed their lives to save our country, is a constant source of inspiration for our youth," the Chief Minister said. He also noted Karnataka's contributions to the Indian army and said the state had given two Generals, one Field Marshall, many army officers and innumerable soldiers to protect the country's borders. 

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