Thiruvananthapuram: A bodybuilder from Kerala, based in Mumbai, was arrested in Kottayam on Saturday for allegedly raping a woman he had befriended on social media.
The bodybuilder has been identified as Murali Kumar, 38, a native of Varissery near Kottayam.
Kumar has won the ‘Mr India’ title twice, is an officer with the Indian Navy, and lives in Mumbai with his wife and family. He first won the Mr India title in 2013 and retained the title the following year.
He had come to Kottayam on vacation, and had lured the woman to a hotel where he took her into his room, where the alleged sexual abuse happened.
When the woman developed excessive bleeding, Kumar himself rushed her to a hospital in Kottayam, where she underwent emergency surgery. His arrest was recorded by police after taking the victim’s statement.
Local media reported that the 22-year-old woman had first met Kumar a few months ago during a social event. Their got acquainted over the weeks, through telephone and social media interactions, before he came to Kottayam and took her to his room.
A police official from the Kottayam West police station was quoted as saying that the victim told police that Kumar had abused her after promising to marry her.
