Tragic Incident: Suspect Jumps into Pond During Police Custody in Andhra Pradesh

Incident Overview

In a tragic turn of events in Kakinada district, Andhra Pradesh, a 62-year-old man accused of raping a minor girl jumped into a pond while in police custody, resulting in his death. Authorities reported the incident on Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as Narayan Rao. He was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly luring a 13-year-old student from her school hostel and assaulting her in a garden. The victim was his neighbor.

According to Sub-Divisional Police Officer Shrihari Raju, Rao managed to escape under the pretense of needing to use the restroom while being taken to a local magistrate.

Rao jumped into the pond in Thuni around 10 PM on Wednesday, and his body was recovered the following morning. He was charged under sections 2 and 4 of the POCSO Act, as well as section 63 of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant laws.

Police stated that while the girl had initially agreed to go with him, 'consent from minors is not considered valid,' leading to serious charges of sexual assault and kidnapping against Rao.

The crime came to light when the owner of the garden opposed Rao's actions and recorded a video of them fleeing, which subsequently went viral on social media, prompting police action.