Kasargod, May 25, 2024: The police on May 24 (Friday) arrested a 35-year-old suspect in the alleged abduction and sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl in Kanhangad on May 15 (Wednesday). Salim, the suspect, who is married for 15 years here and residing within the Hosdurg police station limits, was apprehended from Telangana following an extensive search. He hails from Coorg in Karnataka.
The police have gathered substantial scientific evidence linking him to the alleged crime. A critical breakthrough came from a phone call the suspect made to his home. He had been avoiding phone usage, complicating efforts by the police to locate him.
A 32-member special investigation team was constituted to expedite investigation into the incident. The girl was allegedly abducted from her home, taken to a field a kilometre away, tortured, and robbed of an earring valued at ₹13,000 before being left behind.