Man Arrested in Kozhikode Over Nighttime Assault of Woman on Scooter

A 23‑year‑old man was taken into custody in Kozhikode for allegedly raping a woman who was riding home on her scooter. The suspect, identified as Muhammad Aflah from Kundayithode in Cheruvannur, was arrested by local police and the city crime unit after a probe into the October 14 incident. According to investigators, the woman, a resident of Arakkinar, was heading home when Aflah followed her on a motorcycle, cut her off on the public road at Mundakan Padam in Arakkinar and forced himself on her. Police filed a case based on the victim’s complaint and reviewed CCTV recordings from the spot and nearby lanes. The video helped pinpoint the rider, and a technical sweep by the cyber cell traced his identity. Aflah had earlier been charged in thefts of iron rods along the Ramanattukara bypass meant for a flyover project, a cash robbery after a break‑in at a Nadakkavu supermarket, and other alleged sexual assaults. He was presented before a court on October 17 and ordered to remain in judicial custody.

Context

The use of CCTV and cyber‑cell support is becoming standard in Kerala’s criminal investigations, helping police quickly locate suspects in violent crimes.