Kochi: Four men, including the father of a teenage girl, have been arrested by the Kothamangalam police for allegedly abducting and brutally assaulting his daughter's 17-year-old classmate. The police confirmed the attack was motivated by the father's disapproval of the teenagers' relationship.

The arrested persons have been identified as Aji Lal (47), Alshif (22), Ameen (24) and Abhiram (22), all residents of Payipra.

According to the police, the incident began after Aji Lal's daughter, a class 12 student and classmate of the victim, was admitted to a local hospital due to an illness on Monday. While at the hospital, her father, Aji Lal, took her mobile phone. Posing as his daughter, he allegedly sent messages to her friend — the victim — luring him out of his house on Monday night.

When the boy came outside, he was forcefully pushed into a car by the gang and taken to a house in the Cheruvattoor area in Kothamangalam. There, he was brutally assaulted and verbally abused by the four men. Following the attack, the boy was dropped off near his home around 2 am.

"The boy was brutally assaulted by the accused persons. He was slapped on the face and thrashed on the chest, and even hit on the head. He is currently admitted to a medical college hospital in Kolencherry. Based on his complaint, we have arrested the accused. Further investigation will be conducted after taking the statements of the boy and the girl," said police sources. 

The victim’s father told Onmanorama that the boy is currently admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and is under observation. "Doctors suspect he suffered injuries to the liver. There could be a chance of internal bleeding. So he will have to be kept under observation," he said.

Kothamangalam police, led by Inspector PT Bijoy, launched an investigation based on the boy's complaint and arrested the four accused. The accused persons have been booked under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, slapping charges like abetment, abduction and attempt to murder. They will be produced before the court and remanded.