Thiruvananthapuram: Vanchiyoor police arrested a 42-year-old man hailing from Pattambi in Palakkad on charges of raping a city resident, on Tuesday.The police identified the accused as Madhu alias Krishnankutty. The complaint was filed by a woman residing at Palkulangara, who works as a contract staff at a government office in the city. The arrested is a labourer engaged in painting works.According to the complaint, the accused befriended her through Facebook. Gradually, their relationship grew stronger and he promised to marry her. After this, he sexually exploited her at different places, including Guruvayoor in Thrissur. During this time, he also siphoned off Rs 2.5 lakh from her savings in several instalments citing various needs. The woman filed a complaint against him after she learned that the accused was already married and with children.Vanchiyoor station house officer inspector Suresh V Nair said that the probe team learned during the investigation that the accused had trapped several women in a similar manner.“All his victims were single mothers,” Nair said, adding that his victims included both divorcees and widows. He targeted single mothers, especially those hailing from financially poor backgrounds as they were more vulnerable.The inspector added that complaints against him from other women were already being inquired by cops at various police stations in Thrissur and Palakkad districts. The accused was produced before the court and was remanded in judicial custody.

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