Man held after six months for sexually assaulting minor girl

T’puram: Ayiroor police arrested a 21-year-old Tamil Nadu man for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor girl, bringing to end a six-month-long manhunt that spanned two states.

The accused was identified as Sakthi Vel, a native of Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu. According to police, the accused first made contact with the survivor through social media and gradually gained her trust over a period of time. He lured her under the false promise of marriage and subsequently kidnapped her, taking her to Tamil Nadu where he allegedly subjected her to repeated sexual assault.

After committing the crime, the accused brought the victim back to Kerala and abandoned her at an isolated location, leaving her to fend for herself. The victim’s family, upon learning of the ordeal, immediately approached Ayiroor police station and registered a formal complaint. A case was booked under various sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, and an investigation was launched.

A dedicated police team was dispatched to Tamil Nadu to apprehend the accused. However, he managed to evade arrest on multiple occasions, remaining on the run for nearly six months. Police team continued to pursue all available leads and based on a detailed statement recorded by the victim, was eventually able to trace the whereabouts of the accused to his native place in Dharmapuri.

Station house officer (SHO) Mohan Das, leading a special team, conducted the operation and successfully arrested him from Tiruvannamalai where he was hiding. The accused was subsequently brought to Thiruvananthapuram, where his arrest was formally recorded. He was later produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.