Vegetable Vendor, Two Others Arrested in Patancheru for Abusing and Kidnapping Teen

A 24-year-old vegetable vendor and two of his associates were arrested in Patancheru on Tuesday for allegedly kidnapping a 17-year-old girl and sexually abusing her multiple times over the past two years.

The arrests followed an investigation initiated after the Patancheru police received a formal complaint from the teenager's parents on Monday, reporting that their daughter had been abducted by a vegetable vendor residing in a neighbouring colony.

According to the complaint filed by the victim's mother, the main accused had approached the family a few days earlier with a marriage proposal for the 17-year-old, which the family turned down.

In retaliation, the vendor and two of his friends reportedly forced their way into the family's hut around 12.30 am on Monday while the household was asleep. The trio launched an assault on the family using sticks, stones, and beer bottles.

The attack left the victim's father with injuries to his head, arms, and legs. The mother sustained a head injury, while the victim's 14-year-old sister was struck on the head with a beer bottle. Following the physical assault, the three men forcibly took the 17-year-old girl from the residence.

After receiving the complaint on Monday, a police team tracked the suspects to the main accused's residence, where they located and rescued the teenager. The accused fled the premises upon seeing the police personnel, abandoning the girl at the scene.

Police subsequently tracked down and arrested the primary accused along with his two associates on Tuesday.