Tamil Nadu: 18 men barge into a house, kidnap a woman; 9 held

According to the police, the main accused was once in a relationship with the woman he kidnapped from her residence in Mayiladuthurai on Tuesday night

By: Express Web Desk

Chennai | Updated: August 4, 2022 12:43 PM IST

3 min read

18 men stormed into the house of a 23-year-old woman in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday night and kidnapped her. (Screengrab/video)

Two days after a group of 18 men stormed into the house of a 23-year-old woman in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday night and kidnapped her, even as her family members and neighbours screamed for help, the police said that nine people, including the main accused, have been arrested. The main accused, N Vigneshwaran, a 34-year-old from near Aduthurai in Thanjavur, had allegedly attempted to kidnap the woman in July too.

The woman was rescued within hours of the incident after a special team formed under Mayiladuthurai Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) M Vasantharaj tracked down the vehicle used to kidnap her based on CCTV footage and traced the mobile number of one of the gang members. The police caught the accused near Vikravandi Toll Plaza in Villupuram district.

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According to the police, Vigneshwaran fell in love with the woman while he used to stay at his grandmother’s house in Mayiladuthurai. The duo were allegedly in a relationship but the woman ended it. When Vigneshwaran allegedly kept trying to contact the woman and created a ruckus at her house, her family lodged a police complaint. The police said they warned Vigneshwaran and let him off after getting a written statement that he will not indulge in such acts again.

The main accused, N Vigneshwaran, a 34-year-old from near Aduthurai in Thanjavur, had allegedly attempted to kidnap the woman in July too. (Screengrab from CCTV footage)

According to the police, Vigneshwaran first tried to kidnap the woman in July, but failed. After her family lodged a complaint, the police filed a case against Vigneshwaran but he absconded.

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On August 2, around 7.40 pm, Vigneshwaran along with more than 15 accomplices allegedly barged into the woman’s house and kidnapped her. A CCTV visual of the incident shared widely on social media shows the accused entering the house and escaping with the woman, even as family members and other neighbours followed them, screaming for help.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, DSP Vasantharaj said that as of Thursday, nine people have been arrested. The accused have been booked under sections 307 (attempt to Murder), 366 (kidnapping), 506 (criminal intimidation), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons), 294 b (abuse), 452 (trespassing), among others, of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Arms Act.

“We have listed 18 people as accused in connection with this incident. Till Wednesday, seven people were arrested and remanded. Today (Thursday), we have arrested two more people and we believe we will nab all the members involved in this kidnapping soon,” DSP Vasantharaj said.

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