Earlier, 28 people, including four minors, were arrested. The suspects are currently being held in four different police stations in Pathanamthitta.
Published Jan 13, 2025 | 2:17 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 13, 2025 | 2:17 PM
Sexual assault. Representational Image. (iStock)
The Kerala police have detained 11 more people in connection with the alleged sexual harassment of a minor for over five years in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, said sources on Monday, 13 January.
Earlier, 28 people, including four minors, were arrested.
The suspects are currently being held in four different police stations in Pathanamthitta. According to the police, additional arrests are expected by the evening. Efforts are underway to track down several accused persons who are reportedly abroad, and authorities plan to issue a lookout notice to facilitate their return to the country.
The police have filed charges of gang rape in the case. It has also come to light that the girl’s phone number and explicit images were widely shared.
The Dalit girl, an athlete, had been undergoing abuse since she was 13, the incident came to light when she confided the matter in a volunteer of Kudumbashree Mission’s Snehitha initiative during a gender awareness programme in the Pathanamthitta district. The girl, now 18, reportedly said 64 people abused her over the years.
She reportedly said that her tormenters included coaches, fellow sportspersons, and neighbours. Police said siblings, betrothed and married men, and minors were among those arrested.
Meanwhile, the Kerala State Child Rights Commission on Monday extended support to a young athlete who endured years of abuse.
Commission member N Sunanda visited the survivor at a shelter home in Konni on Monday and assessed her well-being.
The commission directed the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) to ensure immediate financial assistance for the child from the relief fund.
Currently, the child is receiving medical care, with doctors reporting her health condition as satisfactory.
Following a meeting with the special investigation team handling the case, Sunanda assured that a thorough inquiry is underway to bring all perpetrators to justice.
“The commission is closely monitoring the investigation to ensure no individual involved in the crime escapes accountability,” she said.
Congress leader and Mavelikkara MP Kodikunnil Suresh demanded police protection for the victim and her family.
Addressing a press conference at the KPCC headquarters on Monday, Suresh also called for a CBI probe into the incident, citing concerns over the impartiality of the ongoing investigation.
“The government must take over the family’s protection to prevent witness tampering and ensure a flawless investigation that secures maximum punishment for the accused,” Suresh said.
He also raised concerns about the state government’s handling of the case, highlighting that the victim was assaulted even in a government hospital.
“The fact that this girl was raped in a general hospital has shocked the conscience of Kerala. The health minister and the government must answer for turning hospitals into places of horror for women,” Suresh remarked, criticising the Left government.
Drawing parallels with past incidents of Dalit atrocities in Kerala, including the Walayar and Vandiperiyar cases, Suresh accused the state police of negligence.
“The Pinarayi Vijayan government has a history of creating loopholes that allow the accused to escape justice. Even in the Attappadi Madhu case, the trial is being dragged on endlessly,” he said.
Suresh compared the incident to brutal cases of sexual violence in North India, such as Unnao and Hathras, and described the rising cases of sexual violence in Kerala as a national shame.
“The recurrence of such heinous crimes is due to the police’s negligence and the Left government’s lack of seriousness in addressing these issues,” he added.
Suresh urged the government to seek the opinion of the victim’s family and consider transferring the investigation to a central agency to ensure justice.
The state government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case.
The team, comprising 25 officers, including the Pathanamthitta Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), will operate under the guidance of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ajitha Beegum. The case was handed over to the DIG in light of strict action from the National Commission for Women (NCW).
Responding to the outrage, Women and Child Development Minister Veena George assured that all accused would be brought to justice.
“This heinous crime will not go unpunished,” she stated, emphasizing the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of children.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) had also taken serious note of the case. Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar directed authorities to take immediate action and condemned the heinous crime.
The Commission demanded the immediate arrest of all accused, a fair and time-bound investigation, and necessary support for the victim, including medical and psychological care.
(With inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman and Dileep V Kumar.)
