MALAPPURAM: In another horrible child sexual abuse case from Malappuram, the police arrested two persons for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl from Chelari near here on Sunday. The arrested are Ashraf, 36, son of Muhammad Kutty, a resident of Mele Chelari; and Shyju, 38, son of Karuppan, a resident of Chenakkalangadi.
According to the police, the child revealed the details of sexual abuse to a Childline team in a counselling session at school. Later, the school authorities informed the Child Welfare Unit authorities. The unit members reported the incident to the police and they launched a probe. The Tirurangadi police said the girl was sexually assaulted by 30 men over the past two years. The police arrested the duo based on the statement given to them. The child was later presented before the district magistrate and lodged in a children’s home in the district.
The police further said they had also started an investigation regarding the involvement of the girl’s father in the crime. “We are investigating the involvement of the girl’s father in the incident. We suspect he forced her to engage in sexual acts for money. However, we have not arrested the father yet as the investigation into the matter is still going on,” a police officer said.
Sources also said the father forced the child’s mother into adultery. Child abuse cases are not rare incidents in Malappuram and every year, the district tops the list in the number of child abuse cases in the state.