Minor girl held captive, sexually assaulted

Coimbatore: A minor girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a 41-year-old man, suspected to have abducted and held her captive at a house in nearby Tirupur, police said today.

The 11-year-old girl, studying in class five, had gone to a shop on Saturday evening but did not return home, prompting her parents to lodge a complaint with police.

Even as the investigation was on, the girl returned home last evening by a bus, police said.

The girl told the parents that a stranger had taken her in a bus and held her captive in a house in Tirupur, where he sexually assaulted her, following which the parents lodged another complaint, they said.

Considering previous crime records, police are searching for one Murugan from Madurai, who was involved in cases relating to abduction and sexual abuse, police added.

Police have also released his photograph.