Bhubaneswar, Oct. 28: Mahila police detained a man today on charges of sexually exploiting a girl and taking away her cash and ornaments.

Police said the 24-year-old girl, who resides at Bomikhal, lodged a complaint, accusing the 29-year-old man of sexually exploiting her. She also alleged that he had taken away her ornaments and cash.

The girl, who works as a security guard at a media organisation, said the man was unemployed. They got to know each other over the telephone and later became close.

She alleged that he promised to marry her, following which they had a physical relationship.

“We knew each other for the past two years. He had a physical relationship with me and made false promises of marriage. Recently, when I asked him to marry me, he avoided me,” the girl said, adding that during the time they stayed together, he had taken money from her which he did not return. She also alleged that the man had taken away some of her gold ornaments.

The girl had first lodged a complaint with the Kharavela Nagar police station as the man was residing at Satya Nagar, which is under its jurisdiction.

However, the Kharavela Nagar police forwarded the matter to Mahila police as it involved sexual harassment. Mahila police have detained the man. Sources at the police station said the girl belonged to a lower caste, while the man was from upper caste for which he did not marry her. They also said they were counselling both the girl and the man.

“We normally try to counsel them to know the facts of the matter and then take action. We are questioning them. If no results come from this we will register a case and produce the man in court,” said a senior police officer.

In a similar incident, the Mahila police also detained a married man from Gosagareshwar.

The man, Chandu Mohaptra, 36, had sexually harassed an unmarried woman and falsely promised to marry her. The 21-year-old woman first lodged a complaint at Lingaraj police station last evening. They forwarded the matter to Mahila police station.

The police said they are looking into the matter. “We are questioning them and have given them time to decide. We will file the case and produce the man in the court if the woman wishes it,” said a police officer.