Kochi: Two men were arrested by the Panangad police in Kochi on Sunday in separate cases involving alleged crimes against women. An autorickshaw driver allegedly attempted to sexually assault a woman passenger after diverting his vehicle to a secluded area, while a medical shop owner was accused of molesting a newly recruited employee. Both have been remanded in judicial custody.

In the first case, police arrested Midhun Prakash (34) of Veliyathchira in Panangad, for allegedly attempting to outrage the modesty of a young woman who had hired his autorickshaw after finishing her late-night shift at a private firm in Vyttila last month.

According to the police, instead of taking the woman home, Prakash allegedly diverted the autorickshaw to an isolated area in Panangad and attempted to assault her. The woman resisted and screamed for help, following which the accused allegedly forced her out of the vehicle and fled the scene. The police said Prakash also has a history of drug abuse and involvement in physical altercations.

“The accused went into hiding soon after the incident, frequently changing locations across multiple districts, including Idukki, while keeping his mobile phone switched off to avoid leaving a digital trail. The survivor, fearing retaliation, was initially hesitant to approach the police but later decided to file a complaint, following which we registered a case under section 74 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty,” said police sources.

The breakthrough came after Panangad Station House Officer Inspector Vimal received specific information that the accused would be in the Chittoor area of Ernakulam. A police team comprising Arunraj, Rejeesh Upendran, Saiju and Sreejith tracked him down. On spotting the officers, Prakash allegedly attempted to escape on foot but was chased down and arrested.

“The accused had deliberately stopped using his mobile phone and kept shifting locations to evade arrest. Sustained surveillance and timely intelligence helped us trace and apprehend him,” a police officer associated with the investigation told Onmanorama.

In the second case, police arrested Jijo Antony (43), owner of a medical store in Nettoor and a native of Antony Nivas, Pattanakkad, Alappuzha, for allegedly trying to molest a young woman who had joined the medical shop as an employee only a few days earlier.

According to the police, Antony allegedly took advantage of a moment when they were alone, dragged the employee into a room adjoining the shop and attempted to sexually assault her using physical force.

The woman managed to break free, ran out of the shop and alerted nearby residents. Locals intercepted the accused before he could flee and handed him over to the Panangad police. “The survivor’s quick response and the timely intervention of local residents prevented the accused from escaping,” said the police.

The auto driver, Midhun, is yet to be produced before the court. Antony has been charged with Section 74 of BNS and produced before the court, but he was granted bail. Further investigation is underway in both cases.