Four persons arrested for assaulting disabled man

Kochi: Kadavanthra police arrested four persons in connection with alleged assault, wrongful confinement and intimidation of a deaf and mute youth at a lodge in the city.The arrested are Safina alias Safana Shukoor, 27, of North Paravur; Amal Venugopal, 32, of Irumpanam, Tripunithura; John Rahul, 23, of Shyne Road, Vyttila; and Anand Murugan, 29, of Maradu.According to police, the victim befriended Safina through social media, following which he was lured to a lodge room in Kadavanthra around 6.30pm on Sunday for financial gain. Once inside, he was allegedly restrained, stripped and filmed nude by the group. FIR stated that the alleged enmity arose after the complainant refused to engage in sexual relations with one among the accused in the case.Police said the victim was physically assaulted during the incident and sustained grievous injuries, including a rib fracture. "Second accused struck the complainant on his right palm with a torch and then hit him on the head. If the complainant did not block the blow with his left hand, the attack could have resulted in his death," FIR stated.Safina and Venugopal were arrested from a lodge in Vazhakkala, Kakkanad, on Wednesday morning. Rahul and Murugan were arrested on Tuesday night.