TIRUCHY: Two middle-aged men on a car abducted a 35-year-old speech and hearing-impaired woman, took her to a cashew farm, and raped her in Pudukottai on May 16. While the police arrested one of the accused, the other is still absconding.
Demanding his immediate arrest, the relatives of the woman staged a protest on Tuesday (May 19).
The crime happened on Sunday when the woman, who works at a rice mill near Alangudi in Pudukottai, was waiting for the bus. Around that time, Sekar (56) and Marimuthu (55) came there in a car and offered her a lift. Though she refused the offer, the duo allegedly forcefully took her in the car.
When she realised that the car was proceeding to a different direction, the woman raised alarm. But the accused allegedly attacked her and took her to a cashew farm at Manakkollai, where they sexually assaulted her and left her before fleeing the spot.
The woman, who managed to walk to the main road, was rescued by the people, who rushed her to the Alangudi GH. From there, she was referred to Pudukottai Government Medical College Hospital. Later, she was shifted to Raniyar Government Reproductive and Child Health Hospital, where she is undergoing treatment.
Based on a complaint, the Malaiyur police registered a case and arrested Marimuthu, and are now searching for Sekar, who has gone absconding.
On Tuesday, her relatives and members of the public staged a protest in front of the Malaiyur police station, demanding the immediate arrest of the second accused and proper compensation to the woman.