KOZHIKODE: Even as the police are checking whether more people were involved in the attempted kidnapping and sexual assault of a 15-year-old in Kozhikode, the girl has come in for praise for her bravery in handling the situation and escaping.
Though the incident happened on Monday, the CCTV footage surfaced on Thursday following the arrest of the two accused, Faizan Anwar, 36, and Himan Ali, 18, who are from Kishanganj in Bihar.
The accused tried to molest and kidnap the girl who was returning home after tuition around 7.30pm on Monday. As she was walking towards her house through an isolated area after getting down from a bus, one of the accused suddenly covered her mouth from behind and the other tried to drag her. But the girl screamed and ran away from the accused.
While patrolling is being intensified in the wake of the incident, the police suspect that more people are involved in the incident.
“The girl’s courage is worth mentioning here. She screamed and ran away from the attackers. The girl was returning home from the city after tuition. As she ran, the accused escaped from the scene,” said Kasaba Station House Officer Kiran C Nair.
The police registered a case based on the girl’s complaint. During investigation, a sandal found at the scene of the incident with cement stuck to it proved the turning point. The police surmised that the accused were migrant workers involved in construction. On Thursday, the accused were arrested from a place on Chalappuram Bhajan Kovil Road, where migrant workers stay in a group.
The police are collecting information about workers from other states. A separate list of those with criminal backgrounds will be prepared and steps including patrolling will be intensified to prevent such incidents from recurring, an officer said.