A 39-year-old man was arrested in Delhi’s Hauz Qazi area for allegedly raping his 65-year-old mother twice following their return from a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, police said on Saturday.

The victim, accompanied by her 25-year-old daughter, lodged a complaint at the Hauz Qazi police station, accusing her son, Md Firoz alias Suhel, of multiple assaults this month. The family had traveled to Saudi Arabia on July 25 for pilgrimage, including the victim’s husband, a retired government employee aged 72, and their younger daughter.

During the trip, the accused reportedly called his father and accused his mother of having a “bad character,” demanding that his father return immediately to Delhi and divorce her. A senior police officer said, “The woman stated that she had travelled to Saudi Arabia on July 25 with her husband, aged 72, and their daughter for pilgrimage. During the trip, her son allegedly called on her husband’s phone and accused her of having a ‘bad character’, demanding that his father return immediately to Delhi and divorce her.”

After returning home on August 1, the accused allegedly assaulted his mother and attempted another attack the next day. Out of fear, she stayed with her elder daughter’s in-laws for some time. “She further alleged that on August 11, when she returned home around 9.30 pm, her son insisted on speaking to her privately. He then locked her in a room, threatened her with a knife and scissors, and allegedly raped her,” the officer added.

Initially, the victim kept silent due to fear and shame and slept in the same room as her daughter. However, around 3.30 am on August 14, the accused allegedly assaulted her again, after which she gathered the courage to approach the police.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and an investigation is underway. The accused is a graduate but currently unemployed, while the complainant is an illiterate housewife.