Tribal Man Rescued After Six Days Of 'Captivity' At Kerala Resort

A 54-year-old man from a tribal community was allegedly assaulted and held captive for six days by a resort owner and employees at Muthalmada in this district, police said on Friday.

Police rescued Vellayan, a resident of Moochakundu, Chambakuzhi in Muthalmada, late on Thursday night after receiving information about the incident.

According to Kalpana Devi, a councillor of Muthalmada panchayat, Vellayan had gone to the resort for labour work on August 17.

"He consumed liquor from a bottle kept at the resort. Agitated over it, resort owner Prabhu detained Vellayan in a room at the resort. He was given food only once a day and was beaten frequently," Kalpana alleged.

It was another member of the tribal community, who went to work at the resort on Thursday, that discovered Vellayan had been locked in a room, she said.

He immediately alerted Dalit activists and Kalpana.

"We went to the resort as a group on Thursday night. The resort's employees did not allow us in, but we forced our way into the compound and searched the premises, finding Vellayan locked inside a room. We then informed the police, who arrived and rescued him," Kalpana said.

Vellayan was later admitted to Palakkad District Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.

"The District Police Chief spoke to us and assured us that a case will be registered against those responsible. We have also informed the District Collector about the incident," she added.

A case has been registered and Vellayan's statement would be recorded soon, police said.

The resort owner and employees are currently missing, and efforts are under way to trace them, officials said.

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