KOCHI: In an alleged act of moral policing, a young woman and her male friend, both from Kollam, were assaulted by a group of residents at Thiruvaniyoor on January 29. Nine people have been booked.
The victims, a 22-year-old and her friend who hails from Karunagappally, were allegedly attacked around 10.30pm while she was returning to her PG accommodation after work – she is employed at an electronics manufacturing firm in Chottanikkara – on a scooter. The friend was accompanying her to drop her at the place, said a resident.
A group of local residents, mostly men, allegedly entered into an argument with them, which escalated into a physical attack, the resident added.
The victim said the assailants slapped her, pushed her to the ground and kicked her, besides assaulting her friend. She alleged that the attackers also threatened an autorickshaw driver who arrived to take them to the hospital and prevented him from offering help.
The woman, who is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kollam, said this was not an isolated incident in the area and claimed that hoardings warning those involved in similar situations of physical attacks had been put up earlier. She also alleged that the police were delaying action against the suspects and that no arrests were made so far.
The Puthencruz police, however, said a case was registered on Friday (January 30) based on the woman’s complaint, for various offences, including assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, and the investigation is under way.
Nine people have been booked, including Manikuttan, Bibin and Baby, all residents of Thiruvaniyoor, in the case so far.
Counter complaint filed, say police A Puthencruz police officer said they registered a case on the victim’s complaint.
“A counter complaint was later filed by one of the accused, Manikuttan, alleging that the woman and her friends assaulted them, based on which another FIR was registered. However, the case based on the victim’s complaint is being treated as the primary one, and a detailed investigation is on,” said an officer with the Puthencruz police station.