Chennai, Nov 17 (IANS): A 55-year-old orthopedic surgeon, who was absconding after being charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl, landed in police net in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

The surgeon, who has been identified as J. Rajanikanth, runs the Dr GC Hospital at Madavilagam in Karur. He was absconding after allegedly assaulting a 16-year-old girl, the daughter of an employee of the hospital.

The manager of the hospital, Saravanan, and Rajanikanth had sent a WhatsApp message to the girl, inviting her to the hospital for handing over the Deepavali bonus meant for her mother.

When she reached the hospital, the girl was allegedly raped by Rajanikanth with the help of Saravanan. She immediately informed her mother, who in turn lodged a complaint with the Karur all-woman police station.

While Saravanan was arrested on October 14, Rajanikanth was absconding before he was arrested by the Karur police on Wednesday. Both of them have been charged under the POSCO Act.