Thiruvananthapuram: Two men were arrested for allegedly harassing a young woman inside a moving car after luring her under the pretext of a shared taxi ride in Vizhinjam. The accused, identified as Ajith Raj, 44, and Ashokan, 54, both natives of Kovalam, were taken into custody by Vizhinjam police, SHO Reji Raj said.
Incident Details
According to police, the incident occurred on Kalluvettankuzhi–Venganoor road. The woman was waiting for a bus when the accused approached her, claiming their car was a shared taxi heading to Thampanoor. Believing them, she boarded the vehicle. Soon after the car started moving, Raj, who was initially driving, shifted to the back seat, while Ashokan took over the wheel. Police said Raj then allegedly attempted to harass the woman inside the car.
Woman's Brave Escape
The woman raised an alarm, prompting the driver to slow down. She soon opened the door and jumped out of the moving vehicle, escaping without serious injury. Though the accused sped away, she managed to click a photograph of the vehicle along with its registration number. She later reached Thampanoor and lodged a complaint with local police. As the incident occurred within Vizhinjam police station limits, the case was transferred there.
Arrest and Remand
Using the vehicle details, police tracked down the accused and arrested them. The car used in the incident has been seized. Both accused were produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody, police said. The authorities have urged women to exercise caution when boarding shared vehicles and to verify the authenticity of such services to avoid falling prey to similar scams.
