The Munnar police on Saturday arrested two Tamil Nadu natives, including a minor, for allegedly sexually abusing two minor schoolgirls at Munnar hill station in Idukki.

According to Munnar Deputy Superintendent of Police S. Chandrakumar, the arrested have been identified as Suresh, 22, and a 17-and-a-half-year-old boy, both residents of Dindigul in Tamil Nadu. The incident occurred on June 15. The accused had contacted the girls through social media and travelled to Munnar to meet them.

The girls are Plus Two students who are attending a boarding school in the district. They typically go home every Friday and return on Monday. However, last Monday (June 15), they skipped classes and met the youths at a homestay. The school authorities got to know about the incident when they questioned the girls about their absence and alerted the police, who booked the accused under the POCSO Act.

The police initially tracked and arrested the accused from Tamil Nadu by tracing the phone number linked to the social media account used to contact the girls. The youths are students in Tamil Nadu. Suresh will be produced before the Devikulam First Class Judicial Magistrate Court, while the minor will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.

The police said the youths had provided fake ID cards and an incorrect phone number to book rooms at the homestay. The police are also planning to add the homestay manager to the list of the accused for not properly verifying the details of the guests.

Mr. Chandrakumar added that, in light of the incident, the police will issue a directive to all local resorts and homestays, strictly demanding that they verify guest details before providing accommodation.