Man held for sexually abusing, impregnating minor daughter in Kerala

Inspector Shaji Francis arrested the accused, who was on the run for the past three months, on the eve of her retirement.
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)

KASARAGOD: Police have arrested a 40-year-old man, a native of Kasaragod town, for sexually abusing and impregnating his daughter.

Inspector Shaji Francis, who headed the investigation, arrested the accused from a covid care centre in Kozhikode. The man abused the 15-year-old girl multiple times and kept her away from the rest of the family by admitting her to a hostel in Kanhangad, she said.

The crime came to light three months ago, when the girl complained of stomach pain. The hostel warden called her mother, who took her to the General Hospital in Kasargod.

The doctors, who examined her, found out that the girl was pregnant. According to police sources, the father took the girl to several hospitals in Mangaluru and Udupi to get an illegal abortion but was not successful.

Meanwhile, the doctors at the General Hospital informed the police. As soon as a case was registered, the accused went into hiding.

Kasargod DySP P P Sadanandan said the accused could not be easily arrested because he did not use a mobile phone or stayed at a place for a long time.

What drove the police to intensify the search for the accused was the determination of Inspector Francis, said the DySP. "She is retiring today but we had a small send-off for her four days ago where she became very emotional about the case," he said.

At the end of a career spanning over 32 years, she told the small gathering of police officers that she had only one wish -- to arrest the abuser of the girl. "I also have two daughters," she had said. Her words moved the police team.

"We had searched for him in Mangaluru and Bengaluru before. But we got a tip-off that he was working in a restaurant in Kozhikode," said Sadanandan. Based on that, Inspector Francis led a team to Kozhikode and arrested him.

On Monday, her last day in service, Inspector Francis produced the accused before the court which remanded him in custody.

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