CHENNAI: Nearly two weeks after a 10-year-old girl was abducted and sexually assaulted near Gummidipoondi in Tiruvallur district, the police on Friday detained a man who is suspected to be the accused on Friday.
According to a police source, the man, believed to be from Assam, was caught by a special police team from one of the platforms of the Sullurupeta railway station in Andhra Pradesh on Friday.
He is suspected to be working at a dhaba in the vicinity of the station. He was identified by police as he was wearing the same outfit in which he was seen in the CCTV footage and pictures released by the police, the source said.
Speaking to reporters, Asra Garg, Inspector General of Police (IGP), North Zone, said in the preliminary inquiry, the basic details of the suspect and the person who has been secured have matched but his identity, including his age, is yet to be verified. Based on his physique, the man seems to be in his 30s. He is claiming to be from Assam and was working in Andhra Pradesh but all this information has to be verified, the IG added.
“Since it is a sensitive case, we cannot reveal all the details. He is being inquired and further details will be ascertained. As part of the investigation, if required, he will be taken to the scene of the crime following all the rules. A further probe is under way,” Garg said.
According to a source, after the police secured the man, several people from the locality gathered outside the Arambakkam police station demanding the police to allow them see his face. More than 80 police personnel were deployed to avoid any untoward incident, the source said.
On Wednesday, police picked up a man from Uttar Pradesh who was undergoing treatment at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for questioning. He was later let go.
On July 12, when the girl was returning to her grandmother’s home from school, the suspect abducted her and took her to a secluded place and raped her. Before the girl could reach home and inform her grandmother, the man escaped. Based on a complaint, the Arambakkam police started an inquiry and the girl was admitted for treatment.
As there was no lead even after almost a week, three special police teams each headed by a DSP were formed under the supervision of the Tiruvallur SP. The police also released pictures and announced a reward of `5 lakh for information on the suspect.