Bengaluru: Investigations into the Kodagu homestay horror in which a US tourist was raped have thrown up more chilling details: The woman was restrained from talking to anyone, she was only allowed to text.In her statement, the woman reportedly told police that the homestay members told her: “…not to inform the police, not to consult the doctor and not to talk to anybody.” She was forced to stay in the homestay for four days after the horrifying incident, when she was reportedly raped by the cook-cum-housekeeper at the homestay after her welcome drink was spiked. The incident occurred at Devi Villa homestay near Kutta on April 12 and two persons — housekeeper Brijesh Kumar and homestay owner Vishal Ponnappa — have been arrested so far. Police said: “Preliminary investigations revealed the woman was too shell-shocked to react and there were attempts made by the accused to hush up the incident.” The woman from Michigan told police she had come to India to explore tourist places and had booked Devi Villa through Airbnb after getting positive feedback from a US-based female colleague. She, and her colleague, had earlier stayed in the Kutta homestay from March 22 to 24 before coming to Bengaluru. On April 12, she returned to the homestay, this time as a solo traveller. On reaching the homestay around 1pm by taxi, she was allotted a tent by homestay owner Vishal’s mother as he was not present at that time. The woman stated: “Since I was tired, I entered the tent and slept. Around 1.30pm, the housekeeper entered, tapped on my left shoulder and gave me guava juice. He left the tent. I was kind of sleepy and drowsy. When I woke up, the same man was above me.” She said she could not resist or move away due to drowsiness but “could see and feel everything”. She said she was subjected to assault between 1.30pm and 3pm. In the evening, she walked towards the swimming pool trying to connect to WiFi when the accused tried to offer her a candy bar. “I told him to get away from me; I did not eat it, but broke it and kept it aside. During that time, Vishal gave me the WiFi password.” The woman did not inform Vishal what had happened with her as she was not sure now he would react. Instead, she texted her friend in the US.“Around 9.50pm, I called my friend in the US, explaining everything to him. He suggested I bring the matter to the notice of Vishal and others from his family. Around that time, the same man (Brijesh) entered my tent and tried to give a vitamin C tablet to me. I screamed and ran into the main house. I asked Vishal to give me a room so I could lock myself in,” she stated. The next day, her US friend suggested she contact the US consulate. “Homestay owner was not allowing me to even make calls and I was connected only through text mode. I was very afraid and helpless,” she stated. It was only on Thursday (April 16) she could leave the place in a taxi arranged by Vishal. On reaching Mysuru, she got in touch with a citizen liaison volunteer (CLV) for US citizens as her American friend had already informed the consulate. Key proof savedBefore leaving the homestay, the woman collected some of the evidence such as the sheet on the bed, headband and tissue papers from the tent and brought it along with her to Mysuru. Police said: “These will act as strong evidence in the court.”
