Prime accused in Pollachi woman harassment case arrested

Coimbatore: Police arrested K Thirunavukkarasu, the mastermind of a gang involved in sexually harassing several women,

near Makkinampatti in Pollachi on Tuesday.

Deputy superintendent of police (Pollachi sub-division) Jayaraman said, “Thirunavukkarasu, 26, had absconded to Tirupati based on an advice given by a woman from Salem. However, when we traced his whereabouts, he moved to his hometown from Tirupati in a car. He was arrested near his hometown Makkinampatti.”

He said Thirunavukkarasu had also circulated a video on social media as per instruction from the woman. In the video, Thirunavukkarasu claimed that he was innocent.

But Thirunavukkarasu and his friends had physical relationships with few women and college students with their consent.

“None of the women is ready to lodge rape complaints against Thirunavukkarasu or his accomplices. So, we cannot arrest him for gangrape. But he harassed some of the women, including a college girl. So, he has been booked under sections 354 (A), 354 (B) of the Indian Penal Code, 66 E of the Information Technology Act and section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women (TNPHW) Act. We have seized a mobile phone from him,” Jayaraman said.

Thirunavukkarasu had told the police that he had girlfriends and often spent time with them in Coimbatore. “We request the victim women to come forward to lodge complaints against Thirunavukkarasu and his three friends. Then only, police can take stringent action against him. We will protect the identity of the women victim and their names won’t be revealed at any situation,” Jayaraman said.

Police have recovered videos shot by the gang when the women were harassed.

Police sources said Thirunavukkarasu was engaged with money lending. He owned a farmhouse near Anaimalai where women were allegedly harassed by Thirunavukkarasu and his friends.

Meanwhile, Makkal Needhi Maiam issued a statement on Tuesday appreciating the Tamil Nadu police for its swift action and arrest of accused in the case. The rural police have planned to detain Thirunavukkarasu and his three friends under Goondas Act.

On February 12, a 19-year-old college girl from Pollachi, was sexually harassed by her friend N Sabarirajan, Thirunavukkarasu, T Vasanthakumar and N Sathish in a car. One of them had video-graphed during the harassment and blackmailed her. When she refused, the four-member gang snatched one sovereigns of gold chain from her. Based on her complaint, the Pollachi police arrested Sabarirajan, Sathish and Vasanthakumar in Pollachi on February 24. They were lodged at the Coimbatore central prison.