PALAKKAD: The police have arrested a 22-year-old in connection with the incident in which a student, a victim of sexual assault, committed suicide in Vandazhi. Vandazhi native Afsal was arrested by the special team led by Alathur DySP R Ashokan. The police have charged him with POCSO, abetment to suicide and kidnapping. The police said that the accused had sexually abused the girl for nearly one year after promising to marry her. The police nabbed him from a hideout in Chennai on Monday night.

The girl, a student of Class 9, was found hanging at her house on March 28. The post-mortem report stated that the girl was a victim of sexual abuse. The girl's family later lodged a complaint with the district police chief, alleging that there was no efficient investigation by the police in the matter. The accused was produced in the Alathur court and remanded.

Police will investigate whether Afsal had links with the drug mafia. The officials have obtained hints regarding this. The family of the girl told the police that the accused used to give her drugs.