TIRUNELVELI: A 32-year-old man, who was already accused in a rape case, was arrested on the charges of abducting and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl for over four months, at Ramaiyanpatti near here on Friday.
Sources said that Sudalaimani (32), an auto driver and a resident of Manakkadu, had developed a relationship with a 13-year-old girl. Sudalaimani had been forcing the girl into eloping with him for sometime. In April this year, after her school final examination, the girl reportedly ran off with him. On April 22, the girl’s father lodged a complaint against Sudalaimani alleging that the latter had abducted his daughter, sources added.
Meanwhile, a special team was formed to trace Sudalaimani and the girl. Investigations revealed that Sudalaimani was an accused in a 2009 rape case at Palayamkkottai and used to come for hearing to a court.
Based on the information, a team lay in wait for the accused on the court premises on Friday and arrested him when he came for hearing. During interrogation, police claimed that Sudalaimani told them that he had married the girl and both were residing at Udumalaipettai in Tirupur district.
A team rushed to Udumalaipettai and rescued the girl while Sudalaimani was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO). Both Sudalaimani and the girl were produced before a court. While the accused was remanded to judicial custody, the girl was ordered to be sent to a government-approved children’s home.