Kerala: Resort owner absconding after assaulting, confining tribal man surrenders

A resort owner who had been absconding after allegedly assaulting and keeping a man from a tribal community in captivity has surrendered in a court in this district, police said on Sunday.

According to police, the accused, Prabhu (40), owner of a resort at Edukkupara in Muthalamada, surrendered before the Special Court for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act Cases in Mannarkkad on Saturday.

Police rescued Vellayan, a resident of Moochakundu, Chambakuzhi, in Muthalamada, from the resort on August 21.

Vellayan was allegedly assaulted and locked up by Prabhu and his employees for consuming liquor from a bottle kept at the resort.

The victim alleged that he was given food only once a day and was frequently beaten by Prabhu.

Five days later, another member of the tribal community who went to work at the resort discovered that Vellayan was confined in a room and informed Dalit activists, who then sought police help.

Police conducted a search and rescued the victim.

Earlier, police had registered a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested Prabhu’s mother.

Officials said Prabhu had been hiding in various places across Kerala and neighbouring states before surrendering.

Police will soon move the court seeking his custody for further interrogation, they added.