Two migrant workers from Assam were arrested for allegedly raping a Bangalore-based IT professional at a prominent resort at Pozhiyoor near here on November 28.
The arrested have been identified as Lakhi Nath (20) of Sonwalkachara in Jorhat district and Presona Gam (22) of Thungari of Assam.
They were engaged for pest-control and cleaning works at the resort by a contract firm.
According to Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP A J Thomas Kutty, the two confessed to the crime during interrogation. Kutty said there were nail marks on the accused and pieces from a bracelet belonging to Nath were recovered from the crime spot.
The 40-year-old victim, who hails from West Bengal, is expected to arrive in the city to identify the accused.
“The accused will be charged under IPC Section 376 (D) for gang-rape,” Neyyatinkara Deputy SP P Y R Restum, who headed the probe, said.
The police said the two were employed by Kottayam-based Crows Pest Management company.
Nath had been working at the resort for the past two months and Presona for nearly two years.
Details of the Incident
The woman had come to the resort, located about 30 km from here, with a group of colleagues as part of an official trip, and had checked in at the resort around noon on Wednesday.
The accused noticed that the woman was the sole occupant of the room and loosened the screws of the hinges of the balcony door while cleaning.
According to the police, the duo first attempted to enter the room at around 1 am. As the victim woke up on hearing the noise, they hid in the balcony till around 2.30 am. After overpowering the victim, Nath raped her while Presona held her down.
The two escaped when the woman started screaming and kicking them, the police said.
The woman suffered injuries and was in a traumatised state after the incident, about which she made a complaint to the police the following evening. The victim returned to Bangalore after the incident.
The police initially suspected two other employees of the resort, but their DNA did not match the hair strands recovered from the crime spot. Since the incident the resort has been under surveillance.