New Delhi, July 24 - A 40-year-old occult practitioner was arrested here Friday for raping a Class 12 student after allegedly hypnotising her and promising her better grades in her exams, police said.

Raj Kumar, a resident of Geeta Colony in east Delhi, claimed to have supernatural powers and fooled people in nearby Gandhi Nagar into believing that he had cures for all diseases and problems, an official said.

The victim had not been performing well in her studies and her father, a businessman, took her to Raj Kumar.

'It was her father who took her to the 'tantrik' after hearing of him from neighbours and colleagues. The father told us how everyone in the family was impressed by Raj Kumar's prayers,' he said.

'Last week Raj Kumar called her to his place - asking her to come for a special prayer. The girl said she was hypnotised and taken to Haridwar, where he raped her on Sunday,' the official added.

When the girl's family found her missing, they registered a complaint with the police.

The official said they arrested Raj Kumar from Haridwar and brought the girl back to Delhi.