THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Poonthura police, on Tuesday, recorded the arrest of a 20-year-old youth in connection with the suicide of a 17-year-old girl in an Arabic college at Balaramapuram on May 13. Hashim Khan, a resident of Vallakkadavu, was arrested for sexually abusing the girl, with whom he was in a relationship. He has been booked under the Pocso Act and remanded in judicial custody.
The death of the girl, Asmiya, also a native of Vallakkadavu, had raked a controversy after her mother alleged that the death was fishy and the college staff had mentally harassed her daughter. During the probe led by Neyyattinkara ASP Farash T, it was found that the death was indeed due to suicide, while the autopsy revealed the girl was subjected to sexual abuse almost six months ago.
In the follow-up probe, the sleuths got information about the girl’s affair. The relationship had irked Asmiya’s family, following which they had decided to move her to the Arabic college.
However, she was not happy with the decision and wanted to return home. According to police sources, the sexual abuse took place before the girl joined the college. Before her death, the girl had reportedly spoken to her mother over the phone.
One of the teachers of the college had testified that the girl was mentally down after the phone call. The probe team also examined the mobile phone used by Asmiya and her social media accounts. Sources said some details about the sexual abuse was obtained while examining the phone.
Teacher’s testimony
Before her death, the girl had reportedly spoken to her mother over phone
One of the teachers of the college had testified that the girl was mentally down after the phone call