The Pampa police here on Monday arrested a tribal youth who allegedly abducted and abused a 14- year-old girl for nearly a year. The accused was identified as Suresh, alias Joy, a native of Vandiperiyar Sathram in Idukki district.
The accused, who had been hiding deep inside the Sabarimala forests for the past three years, allegedly abducted the girl in November 2020 with the help of a friend. Although the police conducted several searches inside the forests, she could not be traced. Later, the girl returned to her residence near Pampa in September 2021 and a medical examination revealed that she had been subjected to physical abuse several times.
Following this, the police intensified the search for the accused and traced him to a hideout in the wee hours of Monday. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in custody. A probe is on to trace the person who had assisted Suresh in abducting the victim.
