POCSO-accused, mother and wife attacked in dramatic road ambush

In a shocking incident on late Thursday night, a man accused of kidnapping his friend’s minor daughter was brutally attacked along with his mother and wife by a gang wielding deadly weapons at Ramanuja Road’s 12th Cross in Mysuru. The entire incident, captured on CCTV, has gone viral on social media, exposing the brazen manner of the attack in a busy locality.

The victim, identified as Rajanna, was travelling in an auto-rickshaw with his mother and wife around 9:18 pm when a black car intercepted them. A group of youths blocked the rickshaw, dragged the women out and launched a machete attack, while one of the assailants was seen threatening bystanders with the weapon to prevent any help.

According to KR Police, who have registered a case and begun an investigation, Rajanna had earlier been booked under the POCSO Act for allegedly abducting his friend’s minor daughter from Vidyaranyapuram in 2024 after developing a relationship with her. The case came up for hearing in court on Thursday, for which Rajanna had appeared.

On the same day, the minor girl again went missing, prompting her parents to lodge a fresh complaint at the Vidyaranyapuram Police Station suspecting Rajanna’s involvement. By night, police traced the girl, recorded her statement and sent her back with her parents, sources said.

It is suspected that the girl’s friends or relatives, enraged by the incident, trailed Rajanna’s auto from Vidyaranyapuram Police Station and ambushed him and his family in retaliation. The CCTV footage shows the attackers wielding machetes fearlessly, ignoring the heavy traffic and crowd on the busy stretch.

All three victims were rushed to a private hospital and are now out of danger, confirmed K.R. Sub-division ACP Ramesh Kumar, who also assured that the police have launched a hunt to trace and arrest the culprits at the earliest.

The incident has sparked concerns over rising street violence in Mysuru, even in well-patrolled areas, and highlighted the need for tighter security near court premises and police stations when sensitive cases

are involved.