Kochi: Two youths were arrested on Monday for allegedly assaulting a woman and her friend after the latter questioned the accused dangerously driving car past them in Kakkanad last Thursday. The arrested were identified as Jaffar (22) and Manaf (19), both residents of Chittettukara. According to the police, Aswini, a research scholar at the Kerala University campus, Karyavattom, and her friend Shambu, an IT employee at Inforpark, were waiting to cross the road near Max showroom along the Seaport-Airport Road. Suddenly a car sped dangerously past them, nearly hitting the duo.
A shocked Shambu gestured with hand in protest. The passengers in the 'Etios Liva' car hit the brakes and took a U-turn before rushing towards them. They then abused the duo before assaulting them. Initially, the cops failed to trace the accused as the vehicle registration number given by the victims turned out to be wrong. "We then checked the CCTV images in the stretch, looking for the vehicle that matched the victim's description. By trial and error, we finally traced the vehicle and caught the duo after taking the vehicle owner's details with the help of the Motor Vehicle Department," said Thrikkakkara SI Shaju A.N. A case under IPC Sections 323 (voluntary causing hurt), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 341 (wrongful restraint) were lodged against the accused.
