Kochi: In a harrowing incident, a young woman returning home after her night shift was chased by a group of men for 15 kilometers in Muvattupuzha. The woman, who left the ayurvedic spa where she works around midnight on Saturday, had to board a truck to escape the attackers, who then chased the truck brandishing iron rods.
Police Arrest Five Suspects
Police arrested five persons identified as K Ajith, 19, Adwaith P, 20, Tomy Shaji, 19, Arjun Sanil, 20, and Ashwin Raghu, 20. According to police, the spa is located a bit far from Muvattupuzha town, and she was walking towards the KSRTC bus stand to catch a bus to her home in Kottayam when the accused accosted her.
Sequence of Events
Police sources said the accused were waiting near the spa after consuming liquor through the night. They then began hassling the woman by riding their two-wheelers towards her. The woman first sought assistance from a man on a two-wheeler, but his vehicle developed a snag and wouldn't start. Frightened, the duo waved down a truck and boarded it.
The woman called the emergency number from the truck cabin as the accused continued chasing her. The accused began riding parallel to the truck and hitting it with rods. The truck, heading towards Piravom, soon entered the Piravom police station limits. Police mobilized night patrol units and blocked the truck; however, by then, the attackers had retreated and escaped. The truck driver, a West Bengal native, gave a narration matching the description the woman provided.
Investigation and Arrests
Sources said someone recorded the chase from a car, seeing the unusual scene. Police obtained the video and traced the number of one of the two-wheelers. They found that the accused had gathered at an empty field earlier that night and consumed liquor before proceeding to the spa premises.
The accused were booked under non-bailable charges, including outraging the modesty of a woman. They will be produced before a magistrate, police said.
Separate Incident: Woman Attacked by Husband
In a separate case, a 59-year-old woman was attacked by her husband using a machete in Kodanad on Monday. The accused had abandoned the victim and children six years ago, and he attacked her for allegedly not accepting him when he returned. Police said the woman's condition is stable.
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