Man arrested for sexually assaulting girl inside Anna University campus; accused used to sell biryani on roadside

CHENNAI: Police have arrested the accused who raped a second-year student inside the Anna University campus in Chennai. The arrested person has been identified as Kotturpuram native Gnanasekharan (37), who sells biryani on the roadside near the university. The Chennai police said that he had confessed to the crime. The girl was subjected to brutal rape on Monday night. The accused raped the girl after beating up her friend who was with her.

On Monday night, the girl entered the campus with her friend after going to the church. It was during this time that the accused approached the duo, assaulted both without provocation, and forcibly dragged the girl into a nearby bush, where she was subjected to harassment. The police nabbed the accused after conducting an investigation based on CCTV footage obtained from the area.

The victim, a native of Kanyakumari, suffered this brutality while her friend fled after being assaulted by the perpetrator. Although the girl had repeatedly pleaded with him not to sexually assault her, the accused did not relent. The girl reported the ordeal to her college authorities before filing a complaint with the Kotturpuram police. An FIR was registered under Sections 63, 64, and 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police have recorded statements from over 20 individuals, including the girl's friend and campus security staff. According to Chennai police, Gnanashekaran is reportedly involved in several other criminal cases.