Among eight arrested for attempted sexual assault, robbery in Tiruvannamalai

A 28-year-old historian was among the eight persons arrested for attempting to sexually assault and allegedly stealing four grams of gold earrings from a young woman at Girivalam trail in Tiruvannamalai on Tuesday.

Police said K. Vasudevan, a resident of Adaiyur village near Arunachala Hills in the city, has been identified as the key suspect and on record. The other suspects are B. Akash (23), R. Tamilarasan (27), G. Appu (24), A. Hariharan (27), V. Sharma (23), N. Balaji (25) and S. Arun Kumar (29).

The key suspect Vasudevan was involved in several cases including robbery of mobile phones and snatching of chains in nearby police stations like Tiruvannamalai Town and East. Police said the gang he led indulged in criminal activities during festival seasons and holidays, especially around the Arunachaleswara temple and the temple trail.

Police said the woman was returning to her house in the city along the trail on May 31 when Vasudevan and his gang ambushed her. He stole her earrings before allegedly trying to sexually assault her. The gang left the place with the looted valuables.

Police said she narrated the incident to her parents, who lodged a complaint with the Tiruvannamalai West police. A case has been registered.

Superintendent of Police M. Sudhakar also inspected the spot as part of the investigation. Special teams were formed to investigate the incident. Police sources said seven members of the gang who were present at the time of the incident have also been detained and are being interrogated by special teams in connection with the incident. CCTV footage of the route is also analysed. A detailed probe is underway.

Published – 02 Jun 2026 23:43 IST