BENGALURU, 14 April

The man accused of molesting a woman in BTM layout evaded police with the help of his girlfriend, a Home Guard, police said on Monday.

The accused, Santosh Daniel, a native of Tamil Nadu and resident of Gulbarga Colony in Tilak Nagar, was arrested by Bengaluru police on Sunday. He had been on the run since 3 April, after allegedly groping a female student returning from a nearby tea stall around 2 am. The act was captured on CCTV, triggering a police search.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East), Sarah Fatima, formed four special teams under an ACP’s supervision. Officers reviewed over 1,000 CCTV clips to trace Daniel’s movements and vehicle.

Police discovered Daniel fled first to Tamil Nadu, then to Kerala, where he stayed with a relative, claiming to be job hunting. His girlfriend, a Home Guard, accompanied him and allegedly helped him remain hidden.

Daniel was brought to Bengaluru and produced before a magistrate on Monday. He was remanded to five days' police custody. Authorities are now investigating the Home Guard’s role, including potential misuse of her position. A tip-off led to the breakthrough in Kerala.