Gram panchayat president allegedly attempts to rape woman; incident caught on CCTV

In a shocking incident, a Gram Panchayat president allegedly sexually abused a 35-year-old woman, a Group 'D' employee, at the panchayat office at Kestur near Maddur taluk of Mandya district, Karnataka, on Thursday evening.

The CCTV camera installed in the panchayat office captured footage of the accused - Chandrahas, a Janta Dal (Secular) leader in the region, sexually abusing the woman by dragging and forcefully lifting her.

The members after watching the footage lodged a complaint with Kestur police and demanded disqualification of his membership.Following the development, the police detained the accused, Chandrahas on Friday evening for interrogation, reported The Hindu.

According to the report, he was elected from Basavalingana Doddi village in the gram panchayat elections held last year and became the president amidst strong opposition from the members of his own party, told police.

The victim, reportedly a widow, told that Chandrahas tried to rape her at the office at 6pm on Thursday, when everybody had left the office."As I was leaving the office, he intercepted me, dragged me, lifted me and tried to rape me," she said.

The victim is also from Basavalingana Doddi and has been working at the gram panchayat office for the last six years."We will request the victim to file a complaint. In case she not willing to file, we will initiate suo motu action against the accused," The Hindu quoted a senior police officer.