Techie-turned burglar confesses to rape

He also robbed many women

A techie-turned burglar, who landed in the police net in Velachery on Wednesday has confessed to having raped a woman in Guindy, said police after corroborating a complaint given by the victim.

Denying news reports in a section of the media that he was a serial rapist targeting lone women, the city police made it clear that preliminary investigation had revealed that he raped a woman in Guindy and not over 50 as projected by a section of the press.

“The news reports are contrary to the truth,” a senior police officer said.

Last Monday, a woman complained to the All-Women Police Station, Guindy, alleging that she was raped by an unidentified person, who gained entry into her house while she was alone and robbed her of three sovereigns of gold jewellery.

On Thursday, a man named William lodged a complaint with the Velachery police stating that a youth had robbed him of his mobile phone and ₹8,500 at knife-point. When he chased him, the accused ran away but his voter identity card fell on the road.

With this, the police identified Arivazhalagan who stayed at Maduvankarai near Guindy. He was brought to the police station and grilled. He admitted to having raped the woman who had complained to the All Women Police Station. The victim identified him.

The accused, a native of Krishnagiri, was working with an IT firm in Bengaluru. He moved to Chennai in 2015. As he was jobless, he resorted to burglary, the police said.

Modus operandi

His modus operandi was to gain entry into the house of women staying alone under the guise of enquiring about an address or asking for water. Then, he would rob them at knife-point.

In 2014, he was remanded for 15 days after robbing a mobile phone in Krishnagiri. Again in 2015, he was sent to the Central prison in Chennai after he committed burglary at a house in Avadi.

Arivazhalagan admitted that he committed burglaries in Velachery, Royala Nagar, West Mambalam, Guindy, Saidapet and Kotturpuram.

The obscene videos recorded in his mobile phone was also being investigated, police said.