A 55-year-old orthopedic surgeon, who had been absconding for almost a month after being charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, was caught by the Tamil Nadu police on Wednesday, November 17. The surgeon had been booked for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in October. 

The surgeon, who has been identified as J Rajanikanth, runs the Dr GC Hospital at Madavilagam in Karur. He had been absconding after allegedly assaulting a 16-year-old girl, who is the daughter of an employee of the hospital.

According to the police, the manager of the hospital, Saravanan, and Rajanikanth had sent a WhatsApp message to the girl, inviting her to the hospital for handing over the Deepavali bonus meant for her mother. When she reached the hospital, the girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by Rajanikanth with the help of Saravanan. She immediately informed her mother, who in turn lodged a complaint with the Karur all-woman police station.

While Saravanan was arrested on October 14, Rajanikanth was absconding before he was arrested by the Karur police on Wednesday. Both of them have been charged under the POCSO Act.