KOCHI: A special team has launched an investigation into the incident in which a 27-year-old woman was detained in a flat and brutally tortured. The team, which includes cyber experts, was appointed after the Women's Commission intervened and there was widespread criticism that the police had not acted on the complaint for months. A controversy erupted over the incident after pictures of the torture suffered by the girl appeared in the media yesterday.

Police have issued a lookout notice for the accused Martin Joseph. It is learnt that Martin is in Thrissur. Though the Kochi and Thrissur police teams conducted an extensive search yesterday, they were not able to find him. Martin has not used his own phone for months. Police are also observing his friends.

The victim was assaulted in the flat in Marine Drive, Ernakulam from February 15 to March 8. The charges include sexual assault, torture, assault with a weapon, and fraud.