The police on Monday arrested one more accused in connection with the gangrape of an employee at an ayurvedic spa in Thiruvalla.
The arrested has been identified as Varun Kumar (36), a native of Niranam. He was taken into custody by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) from Aluva in the early hours of Monday following a probe based on tower location analysis, police said.
With the latest arrest, the number of accused held in the case has risen to three. Police said searches are under way to trace the remaining three members of the six-member gang.
The police is also probing the angle of a quotation bid behind the gang rape episode. Authorities are also verifying whether the spa was functioning in compliance with relevant laws.
The department has also denied allegations of any law enforcement personnel being involved in extortion activities linked to spas in the area.
As per the case, the accused allegedly barged into the spa on February 1 for denying to pay extortion money, threatened the staff and sexually assaulted the woman employee at knifepoint. The accused also intimidated another customer who was present at the spa and allegedly recorded videos during the incident.
Published – February 09, 2026 08:11 pm IST
