Bengaluru molestation accused arrested in Kerala after week-long hunt

Bengaluru: Karnataka Police have arrested the man accused in the high-profile molestation case involving two women in Bengaluru. The arrest was made in a village in neighbouring Kerala, police sources confirmed on Monday.

The case drew public outrage after a video surfaced online showing a man sexually harassing two women in a residential locality during the early hours. The incident raised serious concerns about women's safety in the city.

The arrested individual has been identified as 26-year-old Santosh Daniel. He was apprehended by the Sadduguntepalya Police from a village in Kerala, where he had been hiding at a friend’s residence without disclosing any details about the crime.

During interrogation, Daniel confessed to the act. According to police, over 1,600 CCTV footage clips were reviewed to trace him. Two special teams were formed and dispatched to Tamil Nadu and Kerala based on technical leads. After the incident, the accused switched off his phone and fled the city. He first travelled to Hosur, then to Krishnagiri, and finally reached Kerala, where he contacted a former colleague in Bengaluru who offered him shelter.

The investigation was initiated following a complaint by a local resident, Lokesh Gowda. Authorities traced the bike registration number seen in the video, identified the accused's Bengaluru address, and launched a manhunt. Sources revealed that the accused is currently unemployed and is believed to be a habitual offender.

The viral 17-second video shows two women walking down a deserted street flanked by residential buildings. A tall, well-built man approaches them from behind, shoves one woman aside, sexually assaults the other, and then flees the scene. The video also captures the victims visibly shaken, pausing briefly before hurrying away.

The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on April 4 within the jurisdiction of Sadduguntepalya police station. The video went viral on social media on Sunday, prompting the police to file an FIR and intensify efforts to catch the perpetrator.

Local residents expressed shock, saying such incidents were rare in their neighbourhood. With a growing number of PG accommodations in the area, they urged the police to step up night patrolling to ensure residents' safety.

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara sparked controversy with his comment that "such incidents happen here and there in a big city." Following public backlash, he expressed regret over the remark.

With IANS inputs