(MENAFN- IANS) Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 6 (IANS) In a dramatic end to a more than two-decade-long manhunt, the Vanchiyoor police in the state capital city on Wednesday recorded the arrest of a man who had been absconding after sexually exploiting his female student way back in 2001.

The accused, identified as Muthu Kumar, a native of Niramankara in Thiruvananthapuram, had been evading arrest since 2001 after being charged with the sexual assault of a school student.

Police said that in order to avoid detection and throw off the police he even changed his religion and was called Sam and had been working and living in Chennai for several years.

According to the case registered in 2001, Muthu Kumar, who was then working as a private tuition teacher, allegedly called a schoolgirl out of her classroom, took her home on some pretext, and sexually assaulted her.

Before the police could arrest him, Muthu Kumar went underground and managed to stay off the radar all this while, even while successive police teams were in hot pursuit of him in this case.

According to the police, during his time in hiding, Muthu Kumar avoided all forms of traceable communication.

He did not use mobile phones, bank accounts, or any form of digital identity to avoid detection.

Instead, Muthu Kumar frequently changed residences and relied on public telephone booths to stay in touch with his acquaintances and family.

Investigators believe he moved between several southern cities before finally settling in Chennai.

Police sources said Muthu Kumar got married while living in Tamil Nadu, maintaining his assumed identity and working in different places.

His arrest came after a sustained surveillance operation that tracked his movements through associates and church records where he began working as a priest.

The watchful probe team got the first lead when a call reached his home here and taking that as the lead, the probe team reached Chennai.

After he was tracked down by the police Muthu Kumar tried to flee when he saw the cops, but he was overpowered and taken into custody.

Muthu Kumar was brought to the state capital city and will soon be produced before a local court here.

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