A 15-year-old schoolboy was taken into custody for allegedly molesting a female college student in Kerala’s Malappuram, police said on Tuesday, October 26. According to Malappuram Superintendent of Police Sujith Das, the incident occurred on Monday near Kondotty in the district.

A Kondotty police official said that the accused had grabbed the woman who was on her way to college at Kottookara near Kondotty and dragged her to a nearby paddy field in an attempt to rape her. According to the survivor, the 15-year-old followed her and attacked her, then gagged and bound her and forcibly took her to a deserted area where he tore her clothes and attempted to assault her sexually. When she resisted, the boy, also a school level judo champion, hit her with a stone and tied her arms. But she managed to flee and take shelter in a nearby house, the survivor told the police.

The woman in whose house the survivor took refuge told reporters that the college student’s hands were tied and she had injuries on her face. She was also half-nude and appeared scared. She was rushed to the Kozhikode Medical College, the woman said.

Based on her complaint, the police launched an investigation. On Tuesday morning, the boy was called in for questioning during which he admitted to having committed the crime. The boy had also suffered injuries during the rape attempt and when his parents asked him about the injuries, he told them that he was bitten by a dog. The accused has no criminal track record, police said.

According to the police, the survivor said that she can identify the accused, whom she described as a fair and overweight person with no beard or moustache. Police added that the accused had left his footwear at the spot while trying to flee the scene after the woman escaped.

The college student was taken to a hospital for treatment and discharged on Tuesday, police said, adding that the First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against the accused for attempted murder and attempted rape.