Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod
Kasargod, May 17: A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to apprehend the suspect involved in the abduction, sexual assault, and robbery of a 10-year-old girl in Kasargod. The team, led by Deputy Inspector General (North Zone) Thomson Jose and district police chief P Bijoy, has intensified the search for the suspect following the incident on May 15.
The child was taken from her home in Padanakkad around 3 am on May 15 while she was sleeping. The assailant reportedly entered through the front door left unlocked by the girl’s grandfather and abandoned her one kilometer away after robbing her of her gold earrings. A medical report later confirmed the sexual assault, and the girl is currently receiving treatment at Kanhangad district hospital.
The SIT, comprising 20 members, is led by DySPs Latish, C K Sunilkumar, and P Balakrishnan Nair, along with circle inspector M P Azad and sub-inspectors Akhil and M T P Saifuddin. The team, including personnel from the SP squad, conducted searches in the coastal areas under the Hozdurg police station's jurisdiction. Seven individuals were detained for questioning.
District police chief P Bijoy revisited the incident site on May 16 to oversee the investigation. Surveillance has been heightened along all possible escape routes.
Incident details and initial investigation
The abduction occurred after at 3 am on May 15 when the girl’s grandfather left the house briefly to milk cows, leaving the door unlocked. Upon his return around 3:30 am, he found the girl missing. The assailant reportedly took the girl through the kitchen door and abandoned her in a nearby paddy field, threatening to kill her if she raised an alarm.
The girl's father reported that the assailant choked her and poked her eyes to silence her, resulting in injuries to her neck and eyes. The girl sought help from nearby houses, eventually being taken in by a family who contacted her father.
The police, aided by forensic teams, a dog squad, and fingerprint experts, are investigating the case. Sections 3 and 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act have been added to the FIR, which mandates severe punishment for penetrative sexual assault on a minor.
Tracker Tyson, a Belgian Malinois from the K9 Force, was employed to trace the girl's scent. Tyson led the police to a farmland area where they discovered two currency notes, which were handed over to fingerprint experts. However, the tracker did not find further leads from the notes.