Serial offender involved in over 50 cases nabbed in Chittoor

In a major crackdown on inter-State crime, the Gudipala police in Chittoor district, on Sunday, arrested a serial offender involved in rape, kidnapping, extortion and drug-linked crimes across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The accused, identified as John Alex (35) of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, has over 50 criminal cases registered in TN and one in Chittoor district, police said.

The arrest followed a complaint lodged on December 3 by a woman from Anupu ST Colony in Gudipala mandal, leading to the registration of a rape case along with charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. During the investigation, police found that Alex had allegedly terrorised the victim’s family, abducted the woman at knifepoint, used pepper spray, and confined her in a mango orchard for nearly a week, subjecting her to repeated sexual assault. He had also assaulted the victim’s parents and brother while forcibly taking her away.

Based on the complaint, Superintendent of Police (SP) Tushar Dudi formed a special team led by Deputy SP T. Sainath. The team tracked the accused and nabbed him near Thommidinnapalem Cross between Chittoor and Gudipala towards Vellore in TN on Sunday afternoon.

The SP said that Alex began his criminal activities in 2010 and evolved into a hardened gangster involved in robberies, murders, attempted murders, and drug-related offences. The Katpadi police in TN had earlier opened a rowdy sheet against him.

Officials seized an iron rod, pepper spray and a motorcycle from his possession.