T’puram: A 69-year-old man was arrested by Kilimanoor police in connection with the molestation of a 12-year-old student. The accused, Abdul Rasheed, of Pangode Kanchinada, was taken into custody following a complaint filed by the survivor’s parents. According to police, the incident took place around 3pm on June 7. The student was walking alone from his home to a nearby tuition center when the accused approached him on his bike, offering him a lift. Trusting the offer, the child got onto the bike, after which the accused allegedly assaulted him. When the student resisted the first attempt, the accused did not stop and forcibly assaulted him a second time. The survivor managed to escape and immediately returned home, where he narrated the horrifying ordeal to his parents. The parents filed a formal complaint with police. Officers recorded the child’s statement and registered a case under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. During the investigation, police examined CCTV footage from the area, which captured the child being taken on the bike. This crucial evidence provided investigators with a vital clue about the identity of the accused, leading to his arrest shortly after. Rasheed was subsequently produced before the court, which ordered his judicial remand. The case is currently under further investigation by Kilimanoor police.
