Kalamassery robbery: Police apply for test identification parade

Kochi: City police investigating the assault and robbery of a young woman in Kalamassery have filed an application before the concerned court to conduct a test identification parade.Sources said, as per the court's directions, the parade would be conducted before an appointed judicial magistrate. Police have been concealing the identity of the accused so that a positive identification can be obtained as part of evidence collection. On Monday, the accused was taken to court in a black hood to prevent his identity from being revealed. Sources with Kalamassery police said that once the test identification parade is completed, they will file an application seeking the custody of the accused. "Although we were able to recover the iPhone, the ornaments are still missing. He will be questioned in custody to recover the gold," an officer said. The accused, a native of Agali, Palakkad, was arrested at his house on Sunday. According to police, he attacked her allegedly with the intention of sexual assault. The accused was a temporary worker for KSEB. He had worked in Ernakulam in a car showroom from 2022 to 2025 and was familiar with the roads in the city. The familiarity with the area helped the accused easily escape and evade police for nearly a week. The woman, walking alone after work in Kalamassery, was allegedly attacked by the assailant on the night of March 15. The attack happened under the HMT Junction railway overpass around 8:15 pm. The woman was brutally attacked as the assailant allegedly slammed her head against a rock and hit her with stones. She was kicked to the ground, and her face was rubbed on the ground.