Bengaluru Woman Molestation Case: Accused Arrested from Kerala After Manhunt; Remanded to 5-Day Police Custody

The Bengaluru police have finally arrested the prime suspect accused of molesting a young woman in Suddaguntapalya (SG Palya) in Bengaluru's BTM Layout. The incident, which took place on April 3, had sparked outrage after CCTV footage showed the accused approaching the victim from behind and fleeing the scene after assaulting her. The victim and the accused were not known to each other.

The accused, identified as Santosh Daniel, 29, residing in Gulbarga Colony in Tilak Nagar, was apprehended from a village near Kozhikode, Kerala, about ten days after the incident. He works as a test driver at a Jaguar showroom near Brookefield. Following his arrest, he was brought back to the city late that night, where he was presented before a judge at his Koramangala residence and remanded to five days in police custody.

The incident occurred around 1:55 AM when two women were walking down a street. CCTV footage, which later went viral, captured a man, his face obscured, grabbing one of the women before fleeing as they screamed for help.

Manhunt Spanned Multiple States

The arrest did not come easy. The police reviewed over 700 CCTV clips across SG Palya, Madiwala, Tilaknagar, Bommanahalli, and Adugodi to trace the suspect's movements eventually identifying the suspect based on his clothing.

DCP Sara Fatima had formed two special teams to track him down. Their investigation revealed that Daniel had fled Bengaluru after the crime and had been on the run across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The major breakthrough came when officers spotted him riding a scooter in one of the clips. To confirm his identity, they circulated the scooter's image at local garages in Tilaknagar and SG Palya-where one mechanic recognised him.

The identity of the accused was established through the bike number used during the incident. His family later confirmed to police that he had gone missing. Interestingly, the accused had abandoned his mobile phone to evade tracking, complicating the search.

After receiving credible leads, the police found that Daniel was staying at a friend's house in Naduvannur village in Kozhikode. A 10-member police team successfully arrested him on Sunday from a village near Kozhikode. He had reportedly reached Kerala via Hosur and Salem.

Crime Committed Under the Influence of Alcohol

Preliminary investigation suggests that Daniel may have committed the act while under the influence of alcohol. He is currently being brought to Bengaluru for questioning, and officials say further details will emerge during custody.

The case also triggered political controversy after Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara commented, "Such incidents happen in big cities." His statement drew widespread criticism and intense public debate over the safety of women in Bengaluru.

A complaint regarding the incident had been filed by a local resident, Lokesh Gowda, soon after it occurred. The police have filed an FIR under Sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage a woman's modesty), 75 (sexual harassment), and 78 (stalking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).