Kasaragod: Fourteen years and three months after an 18-year-old Dalit woman went missing, Kerala Police have arrested her live-in partner, Biju Paulose -- the man long accused by her family of being behind her disappearance.

Paulose, a civil contractor from Bappunkayam in Panathur, was arrested Friday night in Wayanad by a special investigation team led by Crime Branch IG P Prakash.  He has been charged with sexual assault as he was in a live-in relationship with her since she was in class 10.

The girl was reported missing in January 2011. Her family and Dalit organisations alleged that Paulose lured her away with promises of a job and a romantic relationship.

The Kerala State Dalit Samajam claimed Paulose and a woman known as Mammi alias Eliyamma were involved in her disappearance. Paulose and the girl reportedly lived together in a rented house shared with Eliyamma in Madiyan on the outskirts of Kanhangad. Though Paulose was married with children, he allegedly concealed this from the girl.

Initially registered as a missing case by Ambalathara Police, the investigation was later transferred to Bekal Police. Despite repeated questioning, Paulose was not arrested. The case was eventually handed over to the Crime Branch following a High Court directive.

IG Prakash is expected to brief the media in Kasaragod.
The investigation team includes SP Prajeesh Thottathil, DySP P Madhusoodanan Nair, SI Raghu, ASI Rathi, and officers Sumesh, Mahesh, Prabesh, Latheesh, and Sreejith.