THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A junior health inspector has been arrested on the complaint of abusing a woman sexually after inviting her to his house in the pretext of issuing her a COVID certificate. The incident happened at Pangode near Kallara in the capital city. Pradeep Kumar, an official of the community health centre in Kulathupuzha, is the accused. Kumar arrested has been suspended from service.

The woman tested negative in the test conducted at the Kulathupuzha community health center. When the victim called the health inspector for the certificate, he asked her to come home. When she reached his house on September 3, he tied her up at his house in Bharathanoor and then abused her the whole night.

The woman lodged a complaint at the Vellarada police. The police registered her statement and then handed it over Pangode police as the incident happened there. The police arrested him soon after they got the complaint. The police collected evidence after taking her to his house.

Although there is lack of clarity in some aspects of the statement, police is of the review that the complaint is serious. Pradeep has admitted that he called her home for the certificate. A team led by circle inspector Suneesh Kumar is collecting more evidences. The victim was working as a home nurse in Malappuram.