Munnar: Police arrested the man who was absconding after marrying a 17-year-old girl and assaulting her in Idamalakkudi here.

Munnar Police arrested Kandathikkudi-native T Raman (45) on Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) charges. It is also the first POCSO case registered in Idamalakkudi, the first tribal village in the State.

Raman, who is already married and has two children, married the 17-year-old girl in last January and made her stay with him. The incident happened in mid-January. Following this, the Police charged a case of child marriage. But the ‘groom’ had fled to Tamil Nadu by then.

Based on the information that he has reached Kudi, the Police team rounded up his house at night and nabbed him at 3 am.

He had visited Kudi many times after the incident. However, on getting information that the Police would come from Rajamala Pettimudi by travelling about 18 kilometres, he used to go into the wilds and flee.

A covert operation at night to nab the ‘groom’

The investigation team led by SHO Manesh K Paulose reached Pettimudi on Tuesday evening in the Police vehicle. From there, they hired a taxi jeep to reach a point 2 kilometres away from Society Kudi.

Later, they walked for a few kilometres in torchlight without alerting the locals and reached close to Raman’s house by 3 am. The team rounded up his house and then arrested Raman. The Police team included SI K D Maniyan, CPOs Saheer Hussain, Tony Chacko, Aneesh George and Pradeep Kumar. Raman was presented before the Devikulam Court and he was remanded.