CHENNAI: A rape convict, M Kannan (38) of Rajapalayam, Virudhunagar district who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for kidnapping and raping a 16-year-old girl, promising her a college seat in Chennai, escaped while a police team was taking him to be produced before a Srivilliputhur court in connection with another sexual assault case he was facing there.
Police sources said Kannan had wanted to use the toilet at Koyambedu bus terminus after the escort team and the convict reached there around 4.20 am.
“Three armed reserve personnel - Ramesh, Kumar and Jayabalan - were escorting him. Around 4.20 am they reached CMBT bus terminus, where Kannan told the escorts he wanted to use the toilet. The escorts took him to the public toilet on platform 1 and stood outside. A few minutes later, while the policemen stood outside, Kannan managed to escape,” said police.
According to police sources, the criminal history of Kannan began in 2010 when he was booked under a kidnap and rape case. After coming out on bail, he moved to Chennai and was residing in Choolaimedu.
In December 19, 2011, he kidnapped a 16-year-old girl from Namakkal district by posing as a secretariat official and luring her parents to come to Chennai along with the girl for a seat in a Chennai college.
According to the prosecution, when the girl’s parents reached near Vadapalani, he managed to divert the attention of the parents and kidnapped the girl. He took her to a lodge in Samayapuram near Tiruchy where he repeatedly raped her.
He was caught four days later at Mattuthavani bus stand, Madurai and on completion of trial by a Mahila Court in Chennai in 2014 he was sentenced to a 10 year prison term on charges of rape.
The trial in the Srivilliputhur case was pending and he was being escorted to that court for the hearing, when he made good his escape. The police have begun a manhunt for Kannan.